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Karim Benzema called time on his 14-year Real Madrid career, but he did not leave without setting a few outstanding records
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema is set to leave the club after reportedly agreeing to a lucrative deal to move to the Saudi Professional League with current champions Al-Ittihad.
After 14 long years of service to Real Madrid, Benzema has become an icon at the club, playing his way to numerous records and we have gathered the top five to celebrate his trophy-laden spell with Los Blancos.
The most decorated player in Real Madrid history
Real Madrid is the most decorated club in the world, with a number of legendary players in the club’s history carting away numerous awards in the Los Blancos jersey.
With the Copa del Rey victory in the 2022/23 season, Benzema beat all the legends in Real Madrid’s history including the likes of Alfredo Di Stefano, Paco Gento, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Marcelo to become the most decorated player in the club’s history.
Benzema’s 25 trophies put him above other Real Madrid greats and the Frenchman will be happy to be leaving the club with such a prestigious honour at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Second most goals in Real Madrid history
In addition to being the most decorated player in the club’s history, Benzema is also one of the top scorers in the club’s history, with only former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo outsourcing him for Los Blancos.
The former France international has scored 354 goals for Los Blancos in all competitions to overcome all other players in the club’s history except Ronaldo who scored 450 times for Real Madrid before leaving the club.
Most appearances for Real Madrid by a foreign player
With 648 appearances in all competitions for Real Madrid, Benzema is the fifth most-capped Real Madrid player of all time and is also the foreign player with the most appearances for the club.
With Spanish players Raul Gonzalez, Iker Casillas, Manolo Sanchis and Sergio Ramos occupying the top four positions, Benzema claims a place in Real Madrid history as the foreign player to have played the most matches for the club ahead of former teammate, Brazilian Marcelo, who played 546 times for Los Blancos.
Fourth-highest goalscorer in LaLiga history
The records Benzema set were not just related to Real Madrid, as his 238 goals in LaLiga put him in the top-five highest goalscorers in the league’s history.
Benzema is fourth on the all-time top-scorers list with only Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (474), Ronaldo (311), and Athletic Club’s Telmo Zarra (251) scoring more goals in the competition than the French forward.
Had he stayed for another season, Benzema would have been certain to surpass Zarra and break into the top three considering his scoring form in the last few seasons.
Sixth-most LaLiga appearances in LaLiga for Real Madrid
Benzema also made a total of 439 appearances for Real Madrid in LaLiga before his departure from the club was made final, and in doing so, the Frenchman equalled another Real Madrid great and former captain Fernando Hierro to become the player with the sixth-most LaLiga appearances for the club.
Benzema beat Real Madrid legends like Gento, and Jose Camacho to his place in the top 10 and certainly a place in Los Blancos history.
But for an injury-riddled 2022/23 campaign, Benzema could have finished above Hierro on the appearances chart, but the Frenchman will still be pleased with his current standing.
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