In a recent interview, Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has revealed the striker he looked up to while he was growing up.
Karim Benzema has proven himself on the global stage for more than a decade at the top level.
The Frenchman has scored over 316 goals in his career so far and is undoubtedly one of the best forwards in the game.
For a striker who has stayed at the top of the game for far, it is no surprise given who Benzema modelled his game on.
The Real Madrid forward gained his inspiration from a forward who was regarded as one of the very best in the game, Ronaldo Nazario.
Benzema pulled his inspiration from the ex-Real Madrid forward and has credited the Brazilian for improving his game.
“Ronaldo was my idol from a young age,” the Frenchman told Movistar’s Universo Valdano programme as quoted by Marca.
“I started watching football because of him.
“I looked at his movement and I tried to copy what he did.
“But there was no one like him, I looked up to him so much.
“Some players had his speed, but not the ball control and skill at the same time.
“People think he only scored goals, but he could do everything.
“Strikers need to know how to do a lot of things, not just score goals, and he was the perfect example.
“I learnt a lot from him and [current Real Madrid coach] Zinedine Zidane.”
The list is endless about many forwards who have modelled their game on Ronaldo Nazario.
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