Karim Benzema spoke to the club’s official media channels after winning the Ballon d’Oro on Monday in Paris. The Real Madrid captain expressed his delight at fulfilling his dream and called the previews season the best of his career until now. The Frenchman had an outstanding 2021-2022 which culminated not only with Real Madrid but also saw him win the Nations League with France at the beginning of the season. Karim made an overview of the season and recalled the most special moments.
He had the following to say: “It was the best season of my career because at the end of it I won the Ballon d’Or. I’d been dreaming about it since I was a kid. I was the best season of my career. I’ve fulfilled the three dreams I had in my life: to buy a house for my mother, to sign for Real Madrid because it’s the greatest club in the world and the third was the Ballon d’Or. I’m really proud of my work”.
Five Champions League titles with Real Madrid: “It’s history because we know how difficult it is to reach the final. I’m not talking about winning it, but getting there. It’s really difficult to win the Champions League, but five is history. Real Madrid is a club with a great history and that’s why it’s the best. Madrid are always going to win”.
Zidane and Ronaldo: “I’m not above Zizou and Ronaldo, we’re different. They’re role models and I can’t do what they did on the pitch, but they help me try to do it. I’m never going to reach their level. They won the Ballon d’Or and I’ve just done that. But it’s difficult to reach their level”.
His style of football: “It’s a bit of everything. When I was a kid, I played with older people and my head had to work more quickly. I had to move more quickly, shoot more quickly. That helps me right now. Now my game’s about one touch. I know what I’m going to do when the ball comes to me”.
Ancelotti: “I know Ancelotti. He’s a great coach and he gives me a lot of confidence. He lets me play my game. He always asks that of me, to be different, but without putting pressure on me. I remember one day in his office he asked me how many goals I was going to score. He made a bet and told me: ‘I think you can score 50 goals’. As I’ve got lots of confidence, determination and ambition, I said ‘ok’ to him. He's a coach that gives you a lot of confidence and lets you do what you want on the pitch”.
Dressing room: “It’s my family. Youngsters and veterans are the same. Everyone listens to the rest. Those who start on the bench or are on the pitch are always ready to play. That’s why last season was so great for us”.
Objectives: "I’m starting to say that this year’s going to be very good. Not my year, as in I’m going to score a lot of goals or those things. But that the team and the coach are motivated. That pushes the team on and we can do well”.
Injury before PSG: “It was a moment to forget about football and teammates. Every game is difficult and we know how important each one is. I needed to rest. Then I worked really hard to come back as soon as possible to be ready for the important games like the one in Paris. I worked really hard to get there with my team”.
Best moment of the season: “On my return against PSG I was 100% fit, but I wasn’t at my best like the rest of the team. Then I told myself that we had to get our act together. From that moment, we started to score goals and make history. The hat-trick against PSG was a day I’ll always remember because we fought back to win on a magical night at the Bernabéu”.
Fightback against PSG: “I enjoyed the moment. I can’t say what happened inside, but I can only say I put everything into it and I helped my teammates. It was difficult to do it because I scored three goals against a team that could’ve won the Champions League”.
Tie against Chelsea: “Against Chelsea, I liked my first and second goal. The third too. The three goals are all different, but if I had to choose one, I’d say the first goal because of the move. Everyone touches the ball, the movement is good and I like that type of football”.
Big effort in the quarter-finals of the Champions League: “I was really tired because it was such a big effort to run after 0-3. It was a really tough game, with a lot of pressure. I didn’t have the energy”.
Panenka penalty at the Etihad: “I was going to do it in one game and I did something different. I have to do what I did when I was a kid. Do things like you did with your friends. I did it because it was a really important game and so that the fans could remember it. It was the moment to do it”.
Support at the Santiago Bernabéu: “I was on the pitch and we were a goal down to City. You see the fans drive you on more and more. Then you begin to think that we can do this. When your fans are driving you on you can fight back. After that we kept going and that character at Real Madrid, you never give up. After the equaliser, we heard there were six minutes of added time and we pushed forward to win the game. We were out for about 80 minutes, but then something happened with one move. Emotions were high because in two minutes we scored two goals. After that there was only one winner”.
LaLiga title number 35: “The league is really difficult because there are so many games. It was difficult, but in the end we won by a lot of points. That was because we treated every game as a final. I like scoring goals and providing assists, but when the season starts I don’t think that I have to be the top scorer. I don’t see it like that, but I’m really pleased because it’s a nice trophy. Loads of games were important. One of them was the one against Sevilla because we scored in the last minute. Another was the one against Atlético”.
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