France has a knack for producing some of football’s greatest forwards.
Just Fontaine, Raymond Kopa, Jean-Pierre Papin, Eric Cantona, David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry are some of the most prolific and talented strikers to have graced the game.
However, Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane — himself a World Cup-winning legend with the French national team — believes one is greater than them all: Karim Benzema.
Bilbao’s Ander Capa had cancelled out Toni Kroos’s thumping strike before Benzema, 32, struck twice late on, heading home a cross with 16 minutes remaining and finishing clinically in stoppage time from Luka Modric’s pass.
Afterwards Zidane had no hesitation in declaring Benzema, the 32-year-old, as France’s best ever centre-forward, putting him at the top of a list that includes Thierry Henry, Kylian Mbappe, Jean-Pierre Papin and Just Fontaine.
“For me, yes,” Zidane replied when asked if Benzema was the best French striker in history. “In addition to what he does, what he shows, he has been at Real Madrid for a long time.
“He’s proved it – he’s played at Real Madrid for a very long time, he has more than 500 appearances, all his goals… his record, all he’s accomplished here speaks for itself,” Zidane added.
Benzema has scored 27 goals in 81 appearances for the French national team, but hasn’t represented his country since 2015 following an incident with former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
Back in October, Benzema hit his 250th goal for Real Madrid to move himself into the top five goalscorers in the club’s history. In 11 years at the Bernabeu, Benzema has helped the club win four Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles among multiple domestic and international trophies.
“He is a more complete player now than he used to be,” Zidane said. “He is not a pure No. 9, he doesn’t only think about scoring goals and that’s what I love about him,” Zidane added.
“He loves to combine with his teammates and create chances for them but he also knows how to score goals and he does that when the team needs him the most like he did today. That’s what Karim is all about.”
Benzema arrived at Real Madrid from Lyon in 2009, but was long overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo until the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s move to Juventus in 2018.
“He’s a more mature player these days,” said Zidane. “But he’s always shown that he’s not a pure nine, he doesn’t only think about scoring.
Third-placed Madrid gained their fourth straight win in all competitions and are equal on 26 points with Real Sociedad, who face troubled Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday, and city rivals Atletico Madrid.