Karim Benzema: secrets of one of the best soccer players in the world

When he won the 'Golden Football' for his achievements in the sport, Karim Benzema explained that "this is the people's Ballon d'Or." He was right. The French soccer player and captain of Real Madrid is one of those people who is admired by children all over the world.

The best player in the world grew up in the difficult neighborhood of Bron, Lyon (France) with his seven siblings. Football was the reason the young Karim stayed away from problems.

Karim Benzema dreamt to be like Ronaldo Nazario, the big Brazilian star of the era. An unexpected opportunity in 2009 set him on the path to, years later, be as good or even better than his idol.

The president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, wanted to go back to the essence of what was called 'the galactic team.' He wanted a team without divas, and no impulsive behavior, just football. Karim Benzema was perfect for that.

The businessman flew to Lyon and visited the home of Karim Benzema. The negotiation went smoothly. Florentino Pérez only asked one question: "Do you want to play in Real Madrid?" Of course, the answer was a resounding "yes."

There was no need to sign any papers. Karim Benzema gave his word and fulfilled his promise. The agreement was settled at 35 million euros - which was about 70 million dollars at the time. It seems much, but considering Benzema's achievements, it now looks like a bargain.

After 13 years in Real Madrid, Karim Benzema keeps fulfilling his football promise: "I play for the people who know about football." While scoring numerous important goals for the team, he is also the leader of the locker room and he has a Ballon d'Or.

Benzema always stood in the shadow of that other, legendary Real Madrid player: Cristiano Ronaldo. The Frenchman had to adapt his football to make Ronaldo shine and so he did.

Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid with an average of one goal per game. Benzema helped him with that. It's no coincidence 'Karim' means 'generous' in Arabic.

Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid was key for Karim Benzema. He had to step forward, lead the team and handle a transition that could be dangerous for the club. He did a great job.

Karim Benzema went from being in the background to leading the locker room. Now, Real Madrid is like a family, and Benzema is like a father to other players such as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.

In the meantime, Karim became the top scorer we knew he was. His statistics since Cristiano Ronaldo left have skyrocketed. He is now the second-best scorer in Real Madrid history.

To top it all off, the French star was the protagonist of "the most beautiful story of the Champions League ever told." These are the words of sports journalist Alfredo Relaño when referring to the 2022 Champions League that Real Madrid won.

In this Champions League tournament, there were a lot of upsets thanks to Benzema. Real Madrid eliminated the teams PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in agonizing matches with unexpected endings. In the Paris final, it claimed victory against Liverpool.

The entire journey, from Lyon to the capital of Madrid, and his 13 years in the Spanish team, led Karim Benzema to win the Ballon d'Or in October 2022.

His journey, especially the years after Cristiano Ronaldo, has possibly made Karim Benzema the best and most loved player in the history of Real Madrid.

Luka Modrić, the Croatian footballer and a close friend of Karim, is the other player that might be considered the best in Real Madrid's history. He and Benzema form a great duo.

Benzema cares for his fans. He knows that soccer is not a sport that is only played on the field. You are playing it 24/7 and nobody has understood that better than Karim Benzema.