Karim Benzema snubbed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when naming his all-time dream XI
Former Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has named his ‘dream team’, but there are some huge omissions.
Benzema, 36, is currently playing for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad after he left Madrid in 2023. The forward is widely regarded as one the best players of his generation.
He has played with the likes of Moussa Diaby, Fabinho and N’Golo Kante during his stay in the Gulf state, but none of these names made his ‘dream team’.
While he is still playing, he will be remembered for his contributions while at Los Blancos, scoring 354 goals in 648 games, putting him second behind Cristiano Ronaldo in the club’s all-time scorers list.
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However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner did not earn a spot in Benzema’s all-time XI. Lionel Messi also missed out on the team Benzema picked when speaking in 2023.
In goal, the French man went for Bayern Munich’s number one and 2014 World Cup winner with Germany Manuel Neuer.
He opted for the classic Real Madrid combination of Pepe and Sergio Ramos in the heart of the defence with ex-Barcelona man Dani Alves on the right side of defence with the Brazilian accompanied by his former international teammate Marcelo on the left-hand side.
Moving into the midfield, Benzema went for a French trio of Zinedine Zidane – his former manager at Real Madrid - Paul Pogba and ex-Chelsea destroyer Claude Makelele.
Yet another Brazilian was chosen in a further advanced role as Benzema went for 2002 World Cup-winner Ronaldinho.
Then, as his forward pairing, Benzema picked himself alongside Ronaldo Nazario (R9).
Despite leaving Ronaldo (CR7) out of his XI, he was still complimentary about his former Madrid teammate.
"It is also important that Cristiano Ronaldo is in Saudi Arabia because he is a very important player,” he said in 2023 [via the Mirror].
"He brings a lot to football in this country, and that will raise his level of play even more."
However, speaking in 2018 – the year Ronaldo left Madrid – Benzema did explain how he scored more goals once the 39-year-old had left the Santiago Bernabeu.
“It's true that I've scored many more goals, but when Cristiano [Ronaldo] was here, we had a different style of play, I was providing more assists,” he said at a press conference.
“He really helped me on and off the pitch.”
“But at that time, I did know that I could do more, and when he left, it was the time to change my game, change my ambitions,” he added.
Topics: Real Madrid, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Football, Transfers, Saudi Arabia
Luke Davies