Real Madrid Legend Karim Benzema Weighs In On Current Situation At His Former Club
In this story:
Back in the summer of 2009, Real Madrid made the signings of Kaka, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo all in one transfer window.
Although it is clear who the best signing there was, Benzema was certainly a strong second candidate, with the Frenchman going onto score 354 goals in 648 appearances for Los Blancos.
You can split his Real Madrid career into two parts. The first nine seasons saw him used as a selfless facilitator. Someone who allowed the likes of Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to thrive, whilst going about his business quietly.
Then, in the final five seasons, with Ronaldo sold and Bale's role diminishing, Benzema became the main man, with everything going through him. This saw his numbers spike to career best tallies, culminating in a unanimous 21/22 Ballon d'Or victory.
During his time at the club, the 37-year-old played for many successful teams under various managers and with different teammates. More than most, he knows what it takes to win at Real Madrid.
Karim Benzema Has Opened Up About Real Madrid's Situation
With the team currently facing adversity - just two wins in eight games - Los Blancos' former number nine has weighed in with his opinion when speaking to L'Equipe:
"Kylian Mbappe is the one who is supposed to bring trophies to Real Madrid. He scores a lot of goals and he will continue to score, as he did at PSG. But the most important thing for Mbappe is that Real Madrid signed him so that at key moments, he makes his team win. And he is capable of it. Be careful, not alone [be] with the other players. That's why I'm talking about connection."Karim Benzema
After that, Benzema was asked if his former Real Madrid teammate Alonso should solve the connection problems in the team, to which he responded:
"No, he can't do anything. He has names; he plays the best ones. Then, it's up to the players. If your teammate is better than you, you have to accept it. The problem is if someone can't accept that the guy [playing] with him scores more goals. That's why you have problems when you have five or six great players together."Karim Benzema
Benzema continued:
"Everyone will contribute to something, and in the end, the goalscorer will always be a little more prominent than the others. But, he still needs the others, you can't do everything on your own."Karim Benzema
Some very interesting comments from Benzema. Particularly when he talks about having a connection with other players and about accepting that others are better than you.
Having played with both Vinicius and Mbappe during his career, he would know more than most about what they need to do. As mentioned earlier, Benzema made the players around him better. He could be the facilitator and the main man, depending on what the team needed.
As good as Mbappe is, it remains to be seen whether he is capable of doing that. There feels like a pattern over his club career where when he gets better, others regress. Correlation doesn't mean causation, but you look at what PSG did last season. A very fluid attack, with everybody chipping in.
To give him some credit - with the chances Alonso's side created, you definitely feel like the team would have scored more than one goal against Manchester City. So it is clear he is important to the side. It is just about finding that right balance.
The Latest Real Madrid News
Matteo Moretto Reveals Key Real Madrid Target Area For Summer 2026
How Long Will Brahim Diaz Be Absent From Real Madrid After AFCON Call-Up?
Jude Bellingham Reveals Why He Accepts Criticism From Real Madrid Fans About His Performances
Tom Vinall is a sports writer covering Real Madrid On SI. Previously, he had worked at FanSided as both a contributor and site expert, covering the likes of Spurs and Bayern Munich. He has also previously written for Transfer News Live. Tom was born and lives in Bristol, South West England, and loves to listen to music as well as learning Spanish.
Follow tomvinall00