Karim Benzema spoke briefly about his future plans. In conversation with the American branch of ESPN The 33-year-old Real Madrid striker says he loves the United States and that football is “better and better”. In addition, he calls Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, alias Ronaldo, the only player for whom he would take a seat on the bench.
Benzema made the switch from Olympique Lyon to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 for approximately 35 million euros. Including four Champions League titles, three national titles and two final victories in the Copa del Rey, the French goal-getter is now working on his twelfth season in the snow-white shirt of the Royal. His initial period in Madrid was not easy, the striker acknowledges. “When I came here in Madrid, I was a bit on my own. It was heavy. It was really tough. I was completely dependent on my mental toughness.”
A great example for the Frenchman on his way to the top was Ronaldo. According to Benzema, the Brazilian the greatest and the only one with whom he would like to ‘share’ the striker position. “Ronaldo is the only striker for whom I would accept to sit on the bench,” Benzema says with a laugh. “Thanks to him I started performing ‘the scissors’ even though he did them a thousand times faster. He made me love football. Zizou was there, of course, but in my position, Ronaldo is the one who revolutionized the striker position. For me he is the complete attacker, a role model. If you want to learn something about a striker, you should go to R9 look,” said Benzema.
The current top scorer in La Liga still has a contract with Real Madrid until mid-2023. When asked, Benzema says that he is not yet working on the future, although he does seem to hint that the MLS is arousing his interest. “I look at it from year to year. As long as I have this motivation, this joy, and I love football, I’ll keep going. I don’t look at age or what’s happening. It all has to do with how I feel physically. I will never force it. I keep playing, I feel better and better, so I have to keep going,” said Benzema, who seems to end the conversation with a hint. “I love the United States. Would I sign there? Football is getting better there. But right now I’m playing in Madrid,” the center striker concludes with a smile.