Karim Benzema isn’t a pure number nine but he is the best, admits Zinedine Zidane
Karim Benzema has scored 259 goals in 529 appearances
|Zinedine Zidane has lavished Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema with praise and admitted that while the Frenchman isn’t a pure number nine, he is still amongst the best in the world. The Frenchman has spent eleven years with the Los Blancos and has played a key role in their performances this season.
Few players have been as consistent as Karim Benzema for Real Madrid ever since the Frenchman signed for the Los Blancos from Olympique Lyon. However, while the 32-year-old has had his ups and downs over the last few years, his form in front of goal has rarely disappeared, with the Frenchman more often than not bailing Real Madrid out. That has been the case this season as well with Benzema playing a key role in their Champions League and league outings.
The 32-year-old once again netted a brace to keep the club’s winning run intact against Athletic Bilbao and it had fans in awe of Benzema. They weren’t the only one as Zinedine Zidane admitted that in his eyes, the French striker “is the best”. The Real Madrid boss further added that while Benzema “isn’t a pure number 9” but that’s exactly why he loves him.
"He's the best. Without playing a really good game today, he scored twice again. He always shows up, that's what the great players do. For me, yes. He shows it with what he's doing. He's played at Real Madrid for a long time, more than 500 games. His goals, his trophies, what he's done, they speak for themselves. For me he's the best, yes, it's clear,” Zidane said, reported ESPN.
"He isn't a pure No. 9, only thinking about goals. That's why I love him. He doesn't only have that in his head. He links up, passes to teammates. That's what I like in football, and he has both things."
