1. Karim Benzema
Real Madrid wanted to replace Cristiano Ronaldo in the team, and a lot of money was spent on players like Eden Hazard. However, it has been Karim Benzema who has actually stepped up for the team, being the only player to deliver the goods on a consistent basis.
Karim Benzema had a fantastic 2019, and an even better 2020. Well, he was awarded the La Liga Player of the Season award earlier this month for scoring 21 goals and delivering 8 assists in La Liga 2019-20. He has been simply superb for Los Blancos.
The No. 9 is highly underrated and how much he means to Real Madrid in this post-Cristiano era cannot be explained in words. The player has become an emotion, adapting to the role of the goalscorer seamlessly. He has already scored 12 goals in all competitions in the current season.
He has proved his worth as a big-game player, scoring goals against city rivals and in the Round of 16 second leg vs. Manchester City, becoming a leader on the pitch and scoring goals against big guns, thus proving everyone that he is called a big-game player for a reason.
What Benzema brings to the team is valued by Zinedine Zidane, but there has always been unnecessary criticism of the player. Regardless, Karim Benzema proved that he is one of the best strikers in the world thanks to a terrific 2020.