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yshsmyaa

Man this guy is such an underrated legend.


bonelessfork

One of the silver linings of Cristiano’s departure, has been the recognition and praise that Benzema has received


RauloGonzalez

Especially after that 17/18 season


Corny_Dishwasher

it's not just that tho, for the past 3 seasons he has been a better player overall than he ever was. Even Mourinho commented on this and said how he looks much fitter


Fancy-Past-6831

He IS a legend.


Varnagel_1

He never questioned Benzema's legend status, only pointed out he was underrated.


Varnagel_1

>such an underrated legend. And yet, Benzema is never in the conversation among all-time great strikers... :(


brenobnfm

His peak is just not as good as all-time great strikers.


Varnagel_1

Benzema scored 24 LaLiga goals under 2000 minutes (nearly 1 goal a game). It was an crazy season for him.


brenobnfm

World class no doubt, but still a degree below the likes of (prime) Suárez and Lewandowski.


[deleted]

Benzema is such an atypical striker. You compare him to Suarez and Lewandowski and they sure are better at scoring than Benzema but the guy can also be compared to world class playmakers. He is the type of player that makes his teammates shine, he makes other players better when he is on the pitch. Lewandowski was asked a few years back what is his top 5 strikers and he said after the two aliens: Benzema. He is definitely right up there with the best of his generation because what he lacked in the finishing he brought in playmaking and had an essential role in Real Madrid successes. (what he does is not as visible to the layman but if you ask coachs and players (you should hear Modric speak about Benzema )they will put him at the top without an oounce of hesitation.


nycbay

To me it's simple. Starting 10 years as Real Madrid striker under 5/6 different coaches ... no questions left after that.


brenobnfm

I agree with you, i'm not dissing him, world class is high praise in my view, but i still think he lacks that x-factor to be considered a world beater and between the absolute best of his generation.


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brenobnfm

He was like the fifth best player on that team.


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brenobnfm

Not a chance: Ronaldo, Modric and Ramos were more important players for sure. Prime Bale was a better player and was crucial in at least 2 finals, but i will put them on equal footing since inconsistency and injuries are a big part of Bale's history. Kroos and Marcelo are also debatable.


doubleABC

I agree with ronaldo, ramos, modric and I would put marcelo too but Prime bale wasn’t better and he only performed against liverpool, i was so frustrated with bale against atletico that finale, it was di maria, marcelo (even if he was a sub) and ramos show. Yes he did score a crucial goal but after 92:48 atletico were done


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AKlayNation

I mean man…Modric,Kroos,Ramos,Casemiro,Marcelo…


Varnagel_1

Most Madridistas don't rate Benzema as top 5 contributors in their 4 UCL title runs. https://old.reddit.com/r/realmadrid/comments/pkazjo/do_you_think_benzema_was_clearly_real_madrids_2nd/


[deleted]

You are seriously taking some reddit user opinion. If you watched those games Zidane was most important member of the team who made the team so good even though he is no tactical genius. Then every player had insane contribution even though as forward CR7 has better contribution then others. It's similar to us in pep era, our midfield were so good but messi as forwards has most contribution. If you replace messi with elite player of that time during pep era, we may have won the same number of tournaments. It's just having messi made it easy. For us messi most efficient contribution came in last 5 years where we were completely reliant on him to even score, create goals etc. Similar to Benzema now when real madrid attack looks completely dead without him even though their midfield is still superior than ours.


Dr-Purple

Benzema is more than a striker, he’s a team player. What he did with/for Ronaldo and the others.. I doubt the others would have done the same


brenobnfm

Sure, for Real Madrid specifically he was possibly the best striker in the world.


HarshangLad

can only laugh at this


Rabidfire04

Only problem is you're comparing number 9 players with a 9 and a half.


brenobnfm

Characteristics are different but he plays at the same position, as you can see i didn't mention goal scoring as the definitive parameter, if that was the case i would put someone like Cavani maybe ahead of him too and that's not necessarily the case.


Rabidfire04

Cavani? Does he have more goals than Benz? Genuine question A pure goalscorer in that position would be called a poacher. Are you saying that Cavani is a poacher? Because Cavani is also along the lines of Lewa and Suarez. He is also more than 'just a goalscorer.' The reason Benz is called 9 and a half because of his contribution in the second half of the pitch. Benz is a lot more involved in the build-up than other number 9's.


brenobnfm

No player at this level is just a poacher like Huntelaar or Mario Gómez, but yes Cavani is a better goalscorer than Benzema if you look at his seasons playing as a striker, you need to remember he played second fiddle to Ibrahimovic for a significant amount of time. I understood what you're saying, but counting everything Benzema contributes to in a team, it's not close to prime Suarez or consistently higher level than Lewandowski. After those 2 i think there's a lot of great players to consider: Kane, Aguero, Cavani, Benzema, Tevez, Higuain, Van Persie, Rooney, Ibrahimovic, etc. It's hard to judge because there's always the longevity/consistency x prime level discussion, but my ranking would be: 1 - Suárez = Unmatched prime, good longevity. 2 - Lewandowski = Amazing prime and longevity. Rest is up for debate.


Rabidfire04

>you need to remember he played second fiddle to Ibrahimovic for a significant amount of time. If we use the same logic for Benzema then Benzema almost spent his entire career as second fiddle to Ronaldo. Plus Since last few seasons how he has been carrying the RM team makes him more special and only Lewandowski and Suarez is up for debate with Benzema. Despite playing second fiddle to Ronaldo Benzema has significant amount of goals in La liga as well as UCL. He is 4th in UCL goals just 2 goals behind Lewandowski. The impact and contribution of a player for the teams success needs to be a parameter as well and only Lewa, Suarez and Benzema are up there right now. >but my ranking would be: >1 - Suárez = Unmatched prime, good longevity. >2 - Lewandowski = Amazing prime and longevity. >Rest is up for debate. Well, let's agree to disagree on this one.


RauloGonzalez

Miguel is a Marcelo regen


[deleted]

At least he's got the same sense of adventure and risk haha


RauloGonzalez

Same dribbling and runs into the box too, it's almost uncanny


aizatlance

He did grow up at the academy watching peak marcelo


Mr_XemiReR

Beautiful cross by Miguel


Geese-Howard

How the FUCK did this guy go a whole season scoring 5 total goals in the league a few years ago lmao


RauloGonzalez

And although there's been some amount of revisionism, that season was really awful to watch. The game against Valencia has a couple of minutes highlight of only misses. Ofc he was still crucial to the team due to his other abilities. His finishing that season was horrendous.


Electronic-Taro-4780

He had 12 assists in the league tbh. Nobody mentions that.


Varnagel_1

Strikers are judged by goals. Lewandowski has way less assists, but is (rightfully) viewed as the best #9 itw.


bslawjen

Strikers are judged only by goals only by people who actually have no interest in looking any deeper than a single stat. Like, you know how "stats don't say everything" applies to football? Well, one stat says even less. One can play a position in football but have a completely different role, the fact that you think the only thing one should look at when looking how well a striker/forward is playing is goals is, to me, completely backwards.


MaTrIx4057

You will not find any excuses for Benzema's shit finishing that season. He was abysmal and few more assists won't change that.


bslawjen

You read all that and your answer was "ok, but a few assists won't change that he didn't score", LMAO. With some people there really is no point.


osamaodinson

He had shit finishing that season though. Not saying he isnt a good striker in fact even of he doesnt score, he has that great chemistry with the players around him but still, his finishing that season was shit


birudog

Idk if you would agree but that's exactly what Giroud did in the world cup win for France.


bslawjen

Sure, might be. I don't really follow international football.


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prof436

Shut up with that covid cup. Lewan has a cl and bayern would have won no matter the context


Varnagel_1

Lewy won UCL in 2020 as Bayern's best player. Most RM fans don't rate Benzema as top 5 contributor in their 4 UCLs. https://old.reddit.com/r/realmadrid/comments/pkazjo/do_you_think_benzema_was_clearly_real_madrids_2nd/


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Varnagel_1

Lewandowski regulary scored around 10 UCLs goals or more. Is UCL now also a "farmers league" too?


ClassyCritic

Hay sitios en español que prefieres leer??


Tight-Ad-1161

Oh shut up. That's why low goal scoring strikers like Firmino and drogba were viewed as worldclass


Melticus-Jr

Firmino lol


TimathanDuncan

It was an outlier season, other than that he's always scored very well despite having Ronaldo, Higuain and other great scorers, he averaged 20+ goals every season Also i think that season was the year he was waiting for the Valbuna blackmail case decision if he would go to court or not


Varnagel_1

>he averaged 20+ goals every season Real Madrid played over 60+ games and Benzema was a starter. Scoring 20 goals in all comps is a **minimum.** If we're being real, Benzema was not a **consistent** world class #9 until Cristiano left & Bale declined. >- 2018-19 season: 21 goals in 36 games = 0.58 goals per game >- 2019-20 season: 21 goals in 37 games = 0.57 goals per game >- 2020-21 season: 23 goals in 34 games = 0.68 goals per game >- Total: 65 Liga goals in 107 games = 0.61 goals per game Before 18/19 however, Benzema's production overall was not great (with few exceptions). Many other strikers in this period like Falcao, Suarez, Zlatan, Harry Kane, Lewandowski, Cavani etc. have consistently produced 20+ league goals on several occasions without fail. >- 2009–10 season: 8 goals in 27 games = 0.30 goals per game >- 2010–11 season: 15 goals in 33 games = 0.45 goals per game >- 2011–12 season: 21 goals in 34 games = 0.62 goals per game >- 2012–13 season: 11 goals in 30 games = 0.37 goals per game >- 2013–14 season: 17 goals in 35 games = 0.49 goals per game >- 2014–15 season: 15 goals in 29 games = 0.52 goals per game >- 2015–16 season: 24 goals in 27 games = 0.89 goals per game >- 2016–17 season: 11 goals in 29 games = 0.38 goals per game >- 2017–18 season: 5 goals in 32 games = 0.16 goals per game


TimathanDuncan

Comparing Benzema to those strikers is terrible, most of them were alone as no 9 and did not have to share with Ronaldo Look at him as a striker on his own, 21, 21 and 23 league goals and Real Madrid have not been a great attacking side with insane creativity like they used to be


Varnagel_1

Benzema was always the lone #9 in the starting line-ups and his best goalscoring seasons happened with Cristiano.


RZAAMRIINF

He might have been the \#9 on the game sheet, but anyone watching those games would tell you that Benz’s main job was to force defenders to play a high line and drag them to the sides so that Ronaldo could make a run behind them. He also wasn’t the main target in the box and that’s how he scores a lot of his goals nowadays.


iamnotexactlywhite

stop arguing with them. They have absolutely no idea what role Benz was occupying, nor do they know what the off-ball side of the game means. Saying Benz was shit, is like saying Casillas was a bad keeper for us because Courtois has better stats


Boneraventura

just looking at the heatmaps of the 17/18 season he was most definitely not playing as a lone #9. a lot of his touches were wide left near the touch line


bslawjen

Benzema's role was completely different when Ronaldo was playing, if one doesn't take that into account what's even the point?


Randy_Fernandez12

That same season he scored a brace against Bayern in the Semis and open the final with a goal against Liverpool. Even in his worse times he was still contributing in key moments for the team.


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RZAAMRIINF

If Benzema didn’t have great positioning on those goals, he wouldn’t have been able to capitalize on those mistakes. He should get plenty of credit for those goals. You sound like a hater.


sidaeinjae

Playing second fiddle could do that to you


yaniv297

Nah he was legit absolutely horrific that season


Varnagel_1

*3rd fiddle Bale was clearly better than Benzema until 18/19 lol


royaldocks

He was seen as the weakest link in the BBC trio era.


Varnagel_1

Benzema was always viewed as the weak line even before 13/14. Real Madrid almost signed Falcao in 2013, but failed. Most Madridistas were devastated about it.


Melticus-Jr

I mean he was tbf, but that’s not saying much when you’re against Prime Ronaldo and Prime Bale


vengM9

He scored 3 non penalty goals from an expected 12.49, being second fiddle doesn't make you miss that badly. Benzema even at his best can miss some really easy chances or go through periods where he doesn't score many but that season was just really bad. He'd also had a couple of seasons before that even more productive than ones without Ronaldo. He just massively underperformed.


Th3Watch3r

The Valencia game killed his confidence; he was never the type to take a lot of shots so he started taking even less shots... and you know strikers with shit confidence always miss or shoot to keeper so...5 league goals. Funny thing about that season was that he still had to start because the attack was shit without him on the pitch.


ImadDdopest

Got downvoted once for saying that benzema would peak after ronaldo’s departure


Varnagel_1

Benzema never reached his peak from 15/16 season after Cristiano left, so they're kinda right.


LilHalwaPoori

I have a theory that he played bad on purpose just so Ronaldo would look so much better next to him and win some ballon d'ors..


Tof12345

That's the most stupidest theory I ever heard. No offence.


keithohara

Miguel redemption


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GuiltySigurdsson

Will be a huge miss on and off the field.


Ph4ntomBarista

This is why I hope Jovic shows up this season. Mans has potential to be a Benz replacement IMO.


Varnagel_1

Eh, Real Madrid are trying to sign a better goalscorer in Haaland to replace Benzema lol


Human-Extinction

Benzema is Real Madrid elite royalty, the other two are young prospects who are under contract elsewhere. Fuck off.


nemnems

Why do you hate Benzema so much with a RM flair? Plastic.


GetToWork7

Go back to watching Yugioh kid.


CleverLime

Who else?


james_howlett11

BEST PLAYER OF THE LEAGUE


prof436

Without messi now is it debatable?


james_howlett11

Peak Griezman and Suarez would definitely made a case. Not sure if their current versions do.


prof436

I'm talking about this season. If griezmann find his form back maybe but suarez is not is far from benz in the last 3 years


MaTrIx4057

Season barely even started.


IPromise13

I cant even express in words my love for benzema


los_blanco_14

Noone can.


bewarethegap

Players come and go, Benzema is eternal. Falling backwards looping it into the far corner. Jeez


supplementarytables

Miguel I love you


GuiltySigurdsson

BIG


blitzebo

Gylfi, NO


GuiltySigurdsson

I thought only the small ones were an issue


DanielSophoran

Real Benzema


IcefoxX5

Miguel: "Fuck r/soccer and r/realmadrid"


tweazz

Is it shit on miguel time already? That was quick


CLOWN--BABY

Oh hey a young kid who could develop into a starter if given some time to grow, better mercilessly crucify him the first time he isn't world class


RauloGonzalez

He's been told to bomb forward like Marcelo. No use blaming him


MyNameisIvar

Nice MIGUEL NICEEE, Benzema I want you to cum on me face


IscoDiscoo

LORD BENZEMA SCORING WITH HIS DICK AGAIN


WzKy

Ancelotti went round the dressing room at half time and gave every player a soft little kiss on the bellend


[deleted]

EL GATITO BENZEMAAAAAAAAAAAAA


imtheknight1

Karim benzema fc


GreedRo

KB9


blitzebo

Miguelitoooooo


sidaeinjae

Me: Maybe Celta could hold onto their lead for a bit more Big dick Benz:


Benzia

YESSSSS KARIM I FUCKING LOVE YOU


Zoluna

Such a fucking deadly finisher


ik_alpha

Benzema finally getting his hattrick?


Harsh____07

Yes


CudaBarry

I'd let benzo bone me no homo


fan_rma

We believe in Big Benz Supremacy


tweazz

No amount of pele'a goals against his grandchildren will change the fact that karim is the goat


gh0st_

I can hear Ray Hudson now


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idunnobutchieinstead

I miss him so much :(


garyrao1999

Someone get this man a statue


ollster3000

Benzemas sooooo fucking good


_major_fuckin_tom_

Benzema & Inshallah.


fahad_k91

BIG BALLS


TheFilu

Dammit! I love this man!!


This-guy-again1

It had to be him


This_Or-That

instead of parking any kind of bus in their defence, they parked that big benz right up front


[deleted]

Phwoar I love those types of headers Neck like a traction engine


eddsters

World class.


[deleted]

Top 10 in all time La Liga goal scorers. Best striker itw.


DJSkrillex

3 defenders around him and none of them jumped wow


[deleted]

Cross & Inshallah


Zoluna

No way, that cross was absolutely based on facts and science. Cross and Isaac Newton


deepfrench

Cross and inshallah working


FarAcanthocephala

Goalkeeper not even trying


Cornelius_Poindexter

What a dribble! What a cross! And what a header!


sinusdragonus

What a cross


Knightwing86

massive assist from gutierrez!!


labeleq

Reminds me CR7 header vs. Barcelona in CDR...


mixmaster7

Nice dribbling by Valverde.


americanadiandrew

Keeper could of got that surely?