Benzema: "I work hard in order to become a great player"

Karim Benzema is making progress with every season. Last season he achieved the highest tallies of goals in his career thus far and he aims to do even better with the support of his manager, José Mourinho:"My ambition remains unchanged: to get better and better. I am lucky to be playing for a great club. I need to be on form throughout the season, as I did last season, and to play well for my national team as well. What more do I need to do to be a great player? I don’t know. But I work hard in order to become a great player, and I will continue to do so”.

Benzema training with France national team

The French striker also talked about one of his footballing idols, with whom he shares the same position on the pitch and whom he met in Spain’s capital when he signed with Real Madrid: “In my first season with Madrid I had the opportunity to get to know Ronaldo. I followed his career closely when I was a youngster. For me, he is one of the greatest players of all time. In fact, I think he is the best. Up there with Zidane… I liked him a lot, and when we met it was like a dream come true, I met him and we talked. I was very happy".

Zinedine Zidane, who won the UEFA Champions League in 2002 with Real Madrid, is another of his sources of inspiration in the world of football and also one of his main sources of advice. “I always turn to him for advice, and sometimes he gives it to me. I hope my career will be different to his, but similar in terms of success”, Benzema concluded.