The French striker says the presence of Ronaldo has helped him kickstart his glorious career at Santiago Bernabeu.
Karim Benzema has opened up on Cristiano Ronaldo’s role in his Real Madrid career.
Benzema and Ronaldo both joined Real Madrid in June 2009. CR7 went on to quickly establish himself as a key player at Santiago Bernabeu, but things weren’t the same for Benzema.
The Frenchman has revealed how studying Ronaldo’s game helped him improve his form at Real Madrid.
“When I watched what he did, I tried to concentrate on his movements: the dribbling, the finishing, the passing, his ball handling. I dissected everything about him,” Benzema told Onze Mondial.
“But, then it’s impossible to achieve the same thing.
“I still have a lot of things in my head. I want to win more titles, more Champions Leagues. And with the national team, the World Cup. That’s all I have as a dream.”
Flash forward to 13 years later, Benzema is enjoying the form of his career at Real Madrid. He scored a total of 42 goals in La Liga and Champions League last season, helping the Blancos clinch both titles.
Reflecting on his first season in Madrid, the 34-year-old added:
“My first season, the first six months, were very difficult. As I was alone and I didn’t speak the language so everything was complicated.
“I had arrived in a new world, with a new team, a different type of football. Luckily I didn’t give up.”
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