BALLON D'OR 2022: WHEN KARIM BENZEMA "PUT MISERY" TO THE DEFENSES OF L1.
With the Ballon d'Or, Karim Benzema is now on the roof of world football. But before shining on European lawns with Real Madrid, the former Lyonnais splashed the Ligue 1 with his talent. For Eurosport, Jérémie Janot, Pape Diakhaté, Reynald Lemaître and Cédric Barbosa explained why Karim Benzema was already such a special player in his younger years.
Karim Benzema, 34, is at the pinnacle of world football. The Ballon d'Or 2022 also caused harm to Ligue 1 defenses in his younger years before Real Madrid and him dominated the Champions League and La Liga hands down. The Lyon native scored 43 goals and provided 23 assists in 112 games of the French league. Not to mention his ten additional accomplishments, which include both the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue.
The striker from the OL academy, who had just turned 17, was getting ready to make his top-flight debut at the beginning of 2005. Karim Benzema delivers a speech in front of Sylvain Wiltord, Sidney Govou, Florent Malouda, and other Freds, and he ends it with the now-famous phrase, "If I'm here, it's to take your position." The world's top player in the future will transition from words to deeds month after month.
THE BEST FORWARD IN L1 OF HIS TIME
Pape Diakhaté confronted him while he was wearing the Nancy colors up to 2007, when he left for Dynamo Kyiv. The former Senegalese international defender noticed Karim Benzema when he entered the Lyon offensive rotation with Fred, John Carew, or Milan Baros. "Issiar Dia had talked to me about it prior to his entrance into Ligue 1. They had been teammates on the young France team together. He had previously informed me that it was a local phenomena, therefore neither of us were shocked "reveals the current Royal Excelsior U21s head coach.
Karim Benzema, according to Pape Diakhaté, "is by far the best striker" he has encountered in League 1. He was already far above it in terms of intelligence and technical proficiency. He already displayed a high level of maturity and a level head, as was evident. even sides were extremely cold. The former Nanceien remembers him as being relentlessly focused and a killer in front of goal.
Karim Benzema "was already watched like milk on fire" by all of L1's defenses at the beginning of his 20th birthday. Even Pablo Correa's guarded building was anything from tranquil. Pope Diakhate once more. He was a player who went out of his way to avoid a fight. He claims that he was shrewd and knew how to position himself between the line of defenders and midfielders. We couldn't get him because he was a central defender and we didn't want to leave any gaps behind us. His strength has always been that. He was also excellent in cramped quarters. He is the best player in this register that I have ever met. When he was checking, the ball always stayed on his feet. The ball occasionally appeared to be deflated (laughs).
Gérard Houllier was replaced by Alain Perrin on the OL bench in the summer of 2007. And the new Gones technician backed Hatem Ben Arfa, another gem from the 1987 generation, and Karim Benzema in the attack right from the start of the season. winning tactic Before transferring to Metz on September 15, the eventual Madrid star scored five goals in six French league games. At Stade Saint-Symphorien, he defeated the promoted Moselle in 38 minutes while recording his first hat-trick in L1 (5-1).
" KARIM WAS DISCREET AND DIDN'T NEED TO TALK SO MUCH TO KNOW THAT HE WAS GOING TO BECOME A VERY BIG
Cédric Barbosa, an FC Metz midfielder during the 2007–08 campaign, recalls, "He had just flown over the meeting. He had exceptional skill for a player his age at the finish. We knew he had been promised a successful career. Karim Benzema develops into the in-demand striker in Ligue 1. The former player of Evian Thonon-Gaillard emphasizes that the media coverage was less significant at the time and we did not immediately turn it into a marketing product, unlike Kylian Mbappé 10 years later. Karim was more tactful and did not need to speak much, so we know he was going to grow up to be a very big man.
a great of the future who can also shine under pressure. Fourteen years after its previous triumph in the derby at Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne dominates (1-0) on January 27, 2008, and appears to be on its approach to conquering Lyon's Indian sign. OL's 25-meter free kick comes in the 92nd minute. Benzema seizes the ball. Jérémie Janot, a former ASSE goalie who was hurt that night in the shoulder and was present in the Saint-Etienne crowd, narrates the remaining events.
"I tell myself, "He can do everything, but I would be amazed if he scored from a free kick," as soon as he touches the ball down. He then cheats on Jody there (Viviani). His remarkable character strength was previously demonstrated by his decision to accept responsibility in the closing moments of such a derby. It had already become commonplace. He has always lived up to his reputation, starting with his debut matches in L1 and especially during the derbies. He didn't have to get 50 to win ", he emphasizes.
Karim Benzema is "the best striker" that Jérémie Janot has faced in League One, according to Pape Diakhaté. Without a doubt. "The ex-Stéphanois describes him as a player who is "respectful and who did not play a part," but what has always stood out to me about him is his speed of execution when dribbling and striking. Anything could occur to him at any time. He was able to initiate a shooting from a distance of 25 meters, alter the direction of the ball on a safe cross, and frequently appear on the second ball during set pieces. He moved constantly to the right, to the left, in depth, or in retreat, making him challenging to read. He was enigmatic."
" HE HAD SUCH A RANGE YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT WITH HIM
In 2008, OL achieved their first Coupe de France and league double. Karim Benzema, Ligue 1's leading scorer that year with 20 goals, outperformed Marseille's Mamadou Niang and Djibril Cissé in their performance. Jérémie Janot believes it is a throne that is entirely deserving.
"He was the most dangerous attacker I've ever encountered because of how diverse his style was. It may be a dive, a hook, a left-foot wrap, a right-foot strike, or a header. He points out that goalkeepers found it challenging due to the game's versatility. Sidney Govou embodied strength and speed. But we were aware of his capabilities. Pedro Miguel Pauleta made a couple detailed calls and did the same. Because of Karim Benzema's diverse taste, you never knew what to anticipate from him. He made my life miserable, but he also lit a fire under me (laughs)."
Karim Benzema maintained the same lineup for his final season in Ligue 1 in 2008–09 (note: 17 goals in L1), but he was unable to stop the Lyonnais from losing their seven-year winning streak and the French championship. The international player from France scored his final goal for OL on May 23, 2009, at Gerland when they played Caen (3-1, 37th day of Ligue 1). Reynald Lemaître, a former left back, was present.
"The footballer trained in Caen recalls, "We knew we were going to have a rough evening before confronting him. He already has the ability to start from outside the box, keep the ball, and use his teammates to enter the box. Then, he always succeeded in securing a favorable shooting stance. Even if he was capable of high-flying individual deeds at the time, he was already a player who depended on the others and accomplished remarkable things thanks to the group of people around him. He had the power to change the game at any time." Karim Benzema joined Real Madrid a few weeks after this meeting, altering the path of his career. The rest is known to us.
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