Al Ittihad striker Karim Benzema has left out Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as he weighs in on the ongoing debate about the greatest footballer of all time.
Earlier this month, Ronaldo confidently declared himself the GOAT in an interview with Spanish outlet El Chiringuito.
The 40-year-old, who has netted an astonishing 923 career goals, stated: “I honestly haven’t seen anyone better than me. You have to look at the numbers, full stop.”
“I believe I am the most complete player who has ever existed. It’s me. I do everything in football—I’m strong, quick, good with both feet, skilled in the air, and great at free-kicks.”
“I am the best player ever, I believe that.”
Now, Benzema, who played alongside Ronaldo for nine seasons at Real Madrid, has given his own opinion on the matter.
The French striker named Brazil’s Ronaldo as his greatest footballer of all time.
“I think everyone can say what they want,” Benzema told TNT Sports.
“If he thinks he is the best in history, then he is. But for me, the best is Ronaldo from Brazil.”
The Brazilian legend scored 62 goals in 98 appearances for his national team and netted 104 times for Real Madrid during his five-year tenure at the club.
Benzema further added: “I don’t like making comparisons between players. Each one has their own story—Cristiano has his, and it’s a great one.”
