Real Madrid are halfway through the season as the LaLiga leaders with Sevilla chasing Los Blancos being eight points behind (though with a game in hand). All the players are having a great time with the squad. The defense is excelling with Eder Militao and David Alaba on top of their game, while Thibaut Courtois is there to back them if they make a mistake.
In attack, Vinicius Junior is in splendid form, and Marco Asensio is scoring some great goals and the midfielders are there to support the attackers with their creativity. Some of the players are sadly coming close to their retirement and are not only having the best years of their careers but are as good as ever.
Karim Benzema
Everyone says this, and so will I. Karim Benzema is aging like a fine wine. Despite having celebrated his 34th birthday recently (which is considered as old in football), the Frenchman is in top form. Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, King Karim has stepped in the spotlight as a leader of the attack.
Even after world-class performances, Lionel Messi never gave the 34-year-old a chance to win the Pichichi award, but with him leaving LaLiga, Karim Benzema seems ready to take the award he has been waiting for.
Karim Benzema had scored 53 goals in the 2018/19 season, 48 goals in the 2019/20 season, and 46 goals in the 2020/21 season.
This season too, the Frenchman has scored a total of 20 goals for Los Blancos so far, of which 15 are scored in the Spanish League and nothing seems to come between him and the Pichichi. He has also set up 8 goals for his teammates so far. Having received 6 Man of the Match awards till now, he is the best player in the league at the moment.
His goal against Athletic Bilbao is a thing of absolute beauty curling the ball from the edge of the box to the far corner, leaving Agirrezabala with no way to prevent the ball from going in. So, I think we all can say that he is having the best years of his career.
Luka Modric
Can someone hand me over a dictionary? I need to find words to describe the Croatian. I am over the phase where everyone wonders how Luka Modric can play so tirelessly at such a high level even at the age of 36.
Luka Modric is just sensational and his importance to Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid cannot be understated. Since his arrival to the Spanish capital of Madrid, Luka has won 4 European Cups, 4 FIFA Club World Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 2 LaLiga Titles, 1 Spanish Cup, and 2 Spanish Super Cups. Well, that is a lot! The 36-year-old is already a club legend and each of his performances this season is just the icing on the cake to his Real Madrid career (now that he has captained the team as well).
Modric has already shown the world why he is one of the best midfielders of all times by winning the prestige Ballon D’or in 2018, and the level at which he is playing even at such old age (in football career terms) just proves how extraordinary he is and he commands the utmost respect from each and every football fan.
Luka Modric has assisted 5 goals this season and unlike his usual standards, he has not been able to score a goal for the club. As per Whoscored.com, the Croatian averages 1.7 key passes a game, and knowing how to beat his man averages 1.5 dribbles. Being Real Madrid’s balancer, the 36-year-old not only contributes in attack but also helps his team under pressure defensively. He averages 1 interception a game.
2016-18 was the period where Real Madrid did not only win the three-peat, but we also got to see Luka Modric at his peak. The Croatian hasn’t stopped there and is still as good as ever.
Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos is one of these players. There is no one who can challenge the German with the recent form he has been in. His surgery during the onset of the season had him slowed down a little, but with regular games, the 31-year-old has seemed to regain his form.
Kroos is a true maestro who loves to find holes in the opposition’s midfield and exploit them as much as possible. His passing has been smooth and there is no surprise that the German is scoring Golazos with the smooth finishing touch of his boots. He has shown the world that the disrespect he receives must stop. Which disrespect? ESPN in the latest ranking released omitted Toni Kroos from the Top 10 midfielders of the Year list. This is something very surprising, and this just tells you how underrated the German is.
With Casemiro and Luka Modric by his side, Toni Kroos gains confidence while attacking because he has faith that the fellow midfielders can manage to defend any counterattack the opposing team might launch and this is the reason he has managed to put up some of the best performances of his career.
Statistically speaking, Toni Kroos has scored 3 goals and assisted 3 in a total of 17 appearances so far. The German has a high 95.1% pass completion and averages 2.1 Key Passes per game. He knows how to switch the play to different parts of the pitch and it is evident by his average of 8.65 long balls a game.
Toni Kroos is still as good as ever and as Hridyam said “We are witnessing a living legend at his absolute best“.