Karim Benzema has dismissed comparisons to former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, after the striker claimed his maiden Ballon d’Or crown this week.
Légendaire pic.twitter.com/JqnupxJFiq
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) October 20, 2022
The two were part of a fearsome attacking front three across nine seasons in the Spanish capital between 2009 and 2018 – when Ronaldo left the Spanish capital.
Together, they won four Champions League titles for the club, and during that period, Ronaldo won four Ballon d’Or awards.
Aitor Karanka, a former Madrid assistant coach, predicted Benzema would win the Ballon d’Or earlier this year and detailed how Ronaldo’s departure influenced him: “The key moment for Karim was when Cristiano left.
“His body language can fool you when you do not know him, but I knew that he would replace Cristiano as the leader of that team.
“He has aged like a fine wine. His presence alone on the pitch is important for his teammates and he can win any individual award.”
Benzema netted an astonishing 44 goals for Los Blancos last season, including 15 in the Champions League, as a series of superstar performances helped eliminate Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool – arguably the club’s toughest possible run to lifting the trophy.
The Frenchman, who has already won five Champions League titles with the team, has surpassed Raul Gonzalez to become the second-highest scorer in club history, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored an incredible 450 goals in 438 club games.
What Did Benzema Say?
Benzema has now refuted claims that he shares the same level of all-time playing accomplishments as Ronaldo and their former manager Zinedine Zidane.
The attacker said, “I am not above Zizou and Ronaldo, we are different. They are role models and I cannot do what they did on the pitch, but they help me to try to do it.
“I will never be at the level of either of them. They have won the Ball of Oro and I just did it, but it’s difficult to reach their level.”
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Adding to his Ballon d’Or success specifically, the striker said: “It has been my best season because, in the end, I have won the Ballon d’Or. I have been dreaming of it since I was a child. It has been the best season of my life.
“I have fulfilled the three dreams I had in my life: buying a house for my mother, signing for Real Madrid because it is the best club in the world and the third is the Ballon d’Or. I am very proud of my work.”
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