There was a time at Real Madrid when the fans were so annoyed with Karim Benzema’s finishing that they would jeer him at the Bernabeu and call for his head. This seems unfathomable now as Benzema has transformed himself into a beast in front of the goal. He is the talisman of this Real Madrid, leader on the pitch, and the hero of Bernabeu. His stature at Real Madrid has been enhanced by the incredible hattrick he scored to lead Real Madrid to a comeback victory against PSG in the Champions League.
Real Madrid’s victory at Bernabeu had shades of the Remondata against Wolfsburg in the 2016 Champions League quarterfinals. Back then it was Cristiano Ronaldo with the goals and now the onus was on Benzema to steer the ship. Ironically it was Ronaldo who would pacify the jeering crowd and request them to respect Benzema at the Bernabeu. Ronaldo just like Benzema today was the leader of Real Madrid and would carry the team on his shoulders in the big games.
Half a decade later, while Benzema’s name still echoes at the Bernabeu, Ronaldo jumped ship to the first move to Juventus and then at Manchester United. So now it raises a question. Will Benzema’s legacy at Real Madrid will ever be greater than Cristiano Ronaldo? Let us dwell deep to find out.
1. Karim Benzema’s longevity at Real Madrid
Benzema arrived at the club as a promising 21-year-old striker from Lyon. 13 seasons later, he is sixth on the list of all-time appearances for Real Madrid. Not only that he is third on the list of all-time top scorers for Los Blancos. This is a staggering record for a player who, to be honest, has for major parts of his career been in the shadows of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s achievements at Real Madrid are unparalleled. He is Real Madrid’s biggest match-winner of all time without even an iota of doubt. The fact that Real Madrid has not won the Champions League since his departure shows his significance. This is not a debate of Ronaldo’s legacy at Real Madrid.
However, Ronaldo has been gone for four seasons now. And there are no signs of Benzema slowing down. We could argue he has elevated his game a level with each passing season. He is contracted to Real Madrid till 2023. His countryman, Kylian Mbappe is about to join him at the club next season. Surely we fans must expect to relish their partnership for a couple of seasons before Real Madrid moves on from Benzema.
Almost 15 years at a club of the stature of Real Madrid requires courage and heart. Benzema has faced criticism, boos, and relentless pressure to perform week in week out. However, he has stayed put. This calls for respect and adulation.
2. Karim Benzema’s utmost loyalty to the club
Karim Benzema exudes silk-like smoothness on the football field. Watching him kicking the ball is like listening to poetry. Ironically his induction to Real Madrid was no way near effortless as his playing style is today. He was viewed as a brash young man with head over heels and little regard for his place in the side. Over the years he got himself embroiled in a bitter controversy that is still hanging over his head.
Some fans called for his head multiple times based on his numbers on the field disregarding the hard work he puts in for the team. Despite all the criticism, Benzema has displayed unflinching loyalty to the club. His affection and respect for the club are certain.
With Cristiano gone, Benzema is the undisputed leader of Real Madrid. Yet we hardly see anything different in his demeanor. Over the years there has been no clamor of departure or transfer rumors apart from a couple of fleeting moves. We rarely see any news about any monetary demands or run-ins with agents. This is unlike some other high-profile players namely Ramos and Ronaldo who reportedly left Real Madrid because they wanted to feel more valued than the club. Benzema has always placed the club ahead of anything.
It is not an indictment of other players like Ronaldo because in this age of social media one can easily be swayed by flashy posts or news articles written for ulterior motives by certain journalists. But if you would have told Real Madrid fans in 2017 that Ronaldo will leave the club and Benzema will take over from him as the match-winner or Benzema will outlive Sergio Ramos at the club, a majority would have probably laughed it off as a joke. But here we are !!
3. Karim Benzema’s role in developing Real Madrid’s future
Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid was a total beast in front of the goal from the get-go. His overall record of 450 goals from 438 games is freakish. Benzema’s 311 goals in 593 games are incredible as well but let us be honest comparing his numbers to Ronaldo’s would be unfair. Let us dwell on why.
Again make no mistake, I am not for a single moment downgrading Ronnie’s achievements and statistics at Real Madrid. However, the fact is Benzema does deserve quite a lot of credit in building up such outlandish numbers for Ronaldo week in week out. Benzema assisted Ronaldo 47 times overall, but these stats do not take into account the overall tactical nuances.
Stats do not do justice to the intangible contribution of Benzema on the field. His link-up play, willingness to leave the central position for Ronaldo to fill in and score truckloads of goals, and his defensive contribution allowed Ronaldo to focus on scoring. Well, Benzema himself says when you have a player like Ronaldo scoring so many goals you have to happily oblige and work for him. That is how you build behemoths like Real Madrid.
It can also be argued that Ronaldo at his peak had better players around him. It is not every day that you have players like Bale, Benzema, and Di Maria play around you or generational talents like Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, and Ozil at their primes working in the midfield.
For Benzema the situation becomes different. When Ronaldo left in 2018, there was hope that Bale would take a step forward. However, his stay has been severely marred by injuries. Hazard who was bought for a club-record fee has suffered a similar fate. Asensio did not turn out to be the player we all thought he would be.
Florentino Perez tried to discover his own Neymar by paying an exorbitant price for Brazilian teenagers Vinicius and Rodrygo. The likes of Modric, Kroos, and Casemiro are still there, but it is apparent they are past their primes now, barring an odd game here or there. Benzema had to shoulder the responsibility solely for the last three seasons. It is only this year that Vini has started to flourish and here also Benzema has played a big part in his progress.
When you watch Benzema play, you realize how much does he improves the players around him. He makes the passes with such precision that it not only pulverizes the opposition defense but forces his teammates to take up the open places inside the box. Simultaneously he takes up places inside the opposition half that obliges teammates to make those passes.
Want your voice heard? Join the The Real Champs team!
Cristiano Ronaldo is an all-time legend for Real Madrid. We fans owe a lot of joyous moments to him. But there is a debate to be had when it comes to his legacy as compared to Karim Benzema. The Frenchman’s stature has grown a lot over the last few seasons. At the moment there is a debate, however, we will revisit the topic once Benzema calls time on his Real Madrid career, which, if his current form is any indication, is not-so-near.