Benzema hoping to follow Zidane, Ronaldo footsteps

 

Real Madrid star Karim Benzema said emulating Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo by winning the Ballon d’Or would fulfill a childhood dream.

The Frenchman is among the 30 players who were shortlisted for the award earlier this month and is confident he can follow in the footsteps of two of his idols, both of whom preceded him at the Santiago Bernabeu.

‘Win the Ballon d’Or? Yes, that would be one of the many dreams I have had since childhood,’ Benzema told French broadcaster Canal+.

‘My idols, whether it’s R9 [former Brazil striker Ronaldo] or Zizou [Zidane], they came to Real Madrid and won the Ballon d’Or.

‘And that’s one of the little things I think about. Today, I’m not far from it.’

Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or in 1997 after his solitary season with Barcelona and added a second five years later in recognition for his stellar performances at the 2002 World Cup, which he won with Brazil.

Benzema said he hoped to to emulate his idols Zidane and Ronaldo and win the award

Zidane, meanwhile, scooped up the accolade in 1998 following a stellar campaign in which he won Serie A with Juventus and scored twice in France’s World Cup final triumph over Brazil.

He was also named FIFA’s World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003 before that prize was merged with the Ballon d’Or.

The Frenchman moved to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2001 and was joined a year later by Ronaldo, who was FIFA’s World Player of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 2002.

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Benzema won two LaLiga titles and three Champions Leagues while playing under Zidane at Real Madrid, and the latter believes his compatriot deserves to be recognised when the winner is announced in Paris on November 29. Benzema lists among the 30-man parade for the 2021 Ballon d’Or which also includes regular ‘suspects’ Cristiano Ronaldo who recently moved back to Manchester United and perennial rival Lionel Messi who recently moved over to PSG.