Karim Benzema leaves. The French striker announced his departure from Real Madrid this Sunday afternoon, after having completed 14 seasons in the club’s jersey. Here are the five highlights of the player’s career with Los Blancos.
In fourteen seasons at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema, whose departure was announced on Sunday, has had a career punctuated with memorable goals, sporting successes and great deeds. Here are the five highlights of his Madrid career:
His transfer and presentation at the Bernabéu
On July 9, 2009, 21-year-old Benzema was presented at the Santiago-Bernabéu stadium in front of 15,000 supporters, exactly eight years after Zinédine Zidane’s presentation. “I’m very happy to play in the same club as my idols Zidane and (the Brazilian) Ronaldo”, said the Lyonnais who has just left his training club and his hometown and concludes with “Hala Madrid!”.
The same summer, Florentino Perez, once again president, will attract Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Xabi Alonso. This is the beginning of the adventure of “Benz” in Spain.
His goal at Gerland against Lyon
On February 22, 2011 in Lyon, Real met OL but Benzema did not start in the first leg. He enters on the hour mark and scores his 100th professional goal, in front of his family and loved ones. The match ends in a draw (1-1). On the return, Benzema will score the second merengue goal (3-0) and will leave in the 85th, under the ovation of the Bernabéu.
Yet under José Mourinho, who arrived in 2010, the beginnings were difficult. The Portuguese first relegated him to the end of the bench, behind Gonzalo Higuain and Angel di Maria. Then in early 2011, the striker gained playing time following Higuain’s herniated disc.
The Champions League hat-trick
On May 26, 2018, in Kiev against Liverpool, Benzema became the first Frenchman to score in the Champions League final since Zidane in 2002. After a hooked start, in the 51st minute, Benzema sprang to counter a catastrophic hand raise of Loris Karius and open the brand.
With “Zizou” as coach, the “White House” won the match 3-1 and its third Champions League in a row after 2016 and 2017. For Benzema, it was the fourth, with “la Decima” won under Carlo Ancelotti in 2014. He became the most successful Frenchman in C1, with his teammate Raphaël Varane.
The epic 2022
On May 28, 2022, at the Stade de France, Benzema won his fifth Champions League. He is now just one continental title behind merengue legend Paco Gento. Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018, “KB9” has become the boss of the merengue attack. He scores more goals and will even end up inheriting the captain’s armband in 2021, after the departure of Sergio Ramos in Paris.
His breathtaking performances prompted Didier Deschamps to call him back to the France team for Euro-2020 (postponed to 2021), after five years of banishment linked to the sextape affair. Benzema shines during this Champions League campaign where Madrid string together epic matches. In the round of 16, he scored a hat-trick against PSG. In the quarters against Chelsea, a hat-trick in the first leg and the qualifying goal in the return, in extra time. In the semi-final against Manchester City, a double in the first leg and the penalty for qualifying for the final in extra time in the return.
The Golden Ball
On October 17, 2022, at almost 35 years old, Benzema is the fifth French Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious of individual awards. Best player in the best team in Europe, champion of Spain and Europe, top scorer in La Liga, Real, the Champions League and the French team during the season, Karim Benzema is on cloud nine. With 47 goals and 14 assists in 2021-2022, he concluded the best statistical season of his career.
On August 10, 2022, he overtook Raul and became Real’s second top scorer in history behind Cristiano Ronaldo (450 goals), totaling 354 goals.
Source: Europe1
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
