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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="match-schedule">{"type":"match-schedule","data":{"competitionId":"34pl8szyvrbwcmfkuocjm3r6t"}}</script><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>CR7 became Blancos' all-time top scorer</li><li>Benzema operated in his shadow for long periods</li><li>Went on to land a Ballon d'Or of his own</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Karim Benzema reveals Real Madrid challenge he set after Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock transfer to Juventus – with fearsome ‘BBC’ strike force being broken up

<p>French striker Benzema moved to Santiago Bernabeu in the same summer as CR7 back in 2009, as Blancos president Florentino Perez indulged in <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/beckham-ronaldo-zidane-who-best-galacticos-real-madrid-coach/blt8d40d983a0f912e3" target="_blank">another ‘Galactico’ spending spree</a>. He registered <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/not-good-as-9-vinicius-junior-the-best-karim-benzema-tells-kylian-mbappe-forget-important-real-madrid-advice/blt946cdc1437d2b050" target="_blank">just nine goals in his debut campaign</a>, while Ronaldo plundered 33.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>In 2013, Real broke the world transfer record again when signing Gareth Bale from Tottenham – presenting Benzema with even more competition in the attacking department. Alongside the Welsh winger, he would go on to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/benzema-claims-to-have-made-bbc-partnership-with-ronaldo--bale-work/135j1ujie0zpc19a3ugaop7vlf" target="_blank">form the fearsome ‘BBC’ strike force</a> that landed La Liga and Champions League titles.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Ronaldo surprisingly <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/ronaldo-scored-50-goals-every-year-you-had-to-adapt-benzema-real-madrid/111r3nl1c5mfk1pti65mkds5i6" target="_blank">broke that unit up when heading to Italy in 2018</a>, but Benzema took his game to greater heights from there. The ex-France international has told <a href="https://x.com/elchiringuitotv/status/1894048390389854468 " target="_blank"><em>El Chiringuito</em></a> of embracing added responsibility: “It’s normal, it’s normal. Gareth Bale, €100m, it’s a lot, he was a good player too, it was normal. But this is fine with me. When Cristiano left, who had scored 50 goals, I said, ‘Now it’s time to step up and that I was going to work for it because I have the talent, but now I have to have more ambition than before’.” </p>

WHAT KARIM BENZEMA SAID

<p>Ronaldo left as Real’s all-time leading scorer, having scored 450 goals through 438 appearances. Benzema <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/benzema-ronaldo-real-madrid-mcmanaman-bale/1e32liur4onwi1jz8kcldhjv7j" target="_blank">hit 162 across five seasons without the Portuguese superstar</a> by his side, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/benzema-2022-ballon-d-or-winner-real-madrid-champions-league-la-liga/blt205c771507d61f07" target="_blank">earning him a Golden Ball in 2022</a> before eventually moving on himself a year later as he joined CR7 in the Saudi Pro League.</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>Benzema added on his legacy in the Spanish capital: “I’m happy that Karim’s last image at Real Madrid is the one of a champion, a Ballon d’Or, and a captain. I had the strength to continue but I preferred to leave like this, at the right time.”</p>

TELL ME MORE

<p>Benzema is now on the books of Al-Ittihad, with impressive individual standards being maintained at 37 years of age. He is <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/karim-benzema-reacts-saudi-pro-league-golden-boot-battle-cristiano-ronaldo-real-madrid-team-mates-form-al-ittihad-al-nassr/blt24a5ffda136c3e08" target="_blank">locked in another Golden Boot battle</a> with Ronaldo, who is <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-final-career-goals-man-utd-coach-cr7-objectives-lebron-james-target-involving-portuguese-goat-son/blt9b4b88b27269a562" target="_blank">still going strong at 40 with Al-Nassr</a>.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

Karim Benzema reveals Real Madrid challenge he set after Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock transfer to Juventus – with fearsome ‘BBC’ strike force being broken up | Goal.com

Karim Benzema has revealed the challenge that he set himself at Real Madrid following Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock transfer to Juventus.