Karim Benzema could easily spend hours reminiscing about his goals for Real Madrid, Champions League finals and Clásicos. But during a conversation with AS he was offered a different kind of game: to forget about his own achievements and put together an ideal team made up of the players who impressed him most over the course of his career. The Frenchman accepted the challenge with a smile — and in the end came up with a line-up in which almost everyone is connected to Real Madrid or Barcelona, while there was no room for Karim himself in the starting XI.
"The Goalkeeper Should Start the Attacks"
"I'll start with the goalkeeper — for me that's Manuel Neuer," Benzema says calmly. "He changed the idea of what a keeper should be: not only making saves, but also playing with his feet, boldly coming far off his line, helping to build attacks. I like goalkeepers who are not afraid to take risks."
Choosing Neuer already goes a little against the internal logic of the team: the German has never played for either Real Madrid or Barça, but for Karim that does not matter. Here he is looking not at the clubs, but at the impact a player has on the game.
Brazilian Wings and a "Crazy" Central Defense
"On the right I would put Dani Alves, on the left Marcelo. For a forward they are the perfect full-backs," Karim explains. "They are always running forward, delivering a crazy number of passes, making themselves available for combinations. With defenders like that you always know the flank is alive."
In the middle Benzema, without hesitation, names a pairing familiar to every Real Madrid fan: Pepe and Sergio Ramos. "Those are two warriors," he smiles. "Nobody wanted to play against them: tough, aggressive, but at the same time both very intelligent defenders. They read the game and are not afraid to take responsibility in any match — whether it's a Champions League final or a derby."
A Midfield Where the Ball Barely Touches the Grass
Karim's midfield trio looks almost like something out of a video game: Paul Pogba, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho.
"Pogba is physicality, power and technique all in one," Benzema explains. "He can win the ball, carry it through half the pitch and then play a difficult pass."
And then comes pure magic. "Zizou is my idol. When he is on the pitch, it feels as if time slows down. He always makes the right choice. Ronaldinho is the opposite — chaos, a smile, improvisation. You don't know what he is going to do in the next second, but almost every time it is something brilliant. With players like that, you simply don't lose the ball."
A Front Three That Breaks Any Opponent's System
Up front Karim puts together a line that could make defenders panic just by the idea of it: in the center the Brazilian Ronaldo, on the right flank Lionel Messi and on the left Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Ronaldo is the purest striker I have ever seen," Benzema admits. "Pace, technique, composure — he had everything. Messi on the right flank is a player who can drop deeper, start the move, dribble past three men and decide the game on his own. And Cristiano on the left is a goal machine. With him you are always sure that a chance will appear at the opponent's goal."
Such an attacking triangle, as Karim admits, does not need many words: "You just give them the ball and step back so you don't get in the way."
Benzema Chooses the Bench and a Star-Studded Supporting Cast
The most unexpected part of this story is that Benzema does not put himself in the starting line-up. "Honestly? In a team like this I would sit on the bench," he laughs. "Let them play, I will wait for my moment."
Joining Karim on the bench are two masters of the middle of the pitch — Andrés Iniesta and Luka Modric. "Iniesta is one of the smartest players I have ever played against. He doesn't shout, he doesn't make any wild movements, but he constantly cuts opponents apart with his passes. Modric is the brain of any team. I know that better than most — we spent wonderful years together at Real Madrid. If you have Iniesta and Luka on your bench, the coach will always have a plan B and even a plan C."
When the World Revolves Around "Real Madrid" and "Barça"
If you look closely at this team, a curious detail appears: of all the players, including the substitutes, only two have never played for either Real Madrid or Barcelona. Those are Manuel Neuer and Paul Pogba. Everyone else is in one way or another connected with the two Spanish giants — they either shone at the Santiago Bernabeu or conquered the Camp Nou.
Benzema's choice clearly reflects his own footballing biography: the years spent at Real Madrid, the classic battles against Barça, his childhood dreams about Zidane and his admiration for those who became symbols of El Clásico. His ideal team is not just a collection of stars. It is Karim's personal story, told through the names of those he shared a pitch with, played against and once watched on television.
