Karim Benzema, a celebrated former Real Madrid player, recently shared his thoughts on his former club, its current players, and the possibility of a future return. In a recent interview, Benzema expressed his ongoing connection to Real Madrid, stating, “Real Madrid will always be MY team. I still watch all matches.” He emphasized the club’s prestigious status, saying, “It’s the best club in the world, it always has been and will always be.”
Benzema also commented on the current Real Madrid team, led by Xabi Alonso, expressing his admiration for their potential. “I really like this Real Madrid team. It’s a team with a lot of potential that I think can do more than what they’re doing now,” he noted. He acknowledged the intense scrutiny the team faces, explaining, “There’s a lot of talk on them, but it’s always been like this. If they draw or lose, it’s a crisis. They go from being the best team in the world to questioning the coach, this player or that player. It’s normal because they’re the best team in the world.”
When asked about the possibility of returning to Real Madrid, Benzema surprisingly didn’t dismiss the idea. “Real Madrid return? If Florentino is still there, it could HAPPEN. I talk to him and it’s POSSIBLE,” he revealed. “I’m a Madridista. I feel it in my soul. Madrid is still my city. We’ll see what happens.”
The conversation then shifted to Vinicius Jr., a current Real Madrid player. Benzema praised the young Brazilian, saying, “Vini Jr? He’s a very good kid, with a big heart, who wants to learn, he’s phenomenal. That’s how it is.” He also addressed the pressure Vinicius Jr. faces, stating, “People put a lot of pressure on him, A LOT. There are players who cannot be put under this much pressure. He’s still young, but he’s already played a lot of games for Real Madrid. You can’t forget what he’s done. You can’t say he’s bad now. It’s not fair. He’s very good, but he can do more.”
Benzema acknowledged Vinicius Jr.’s on-field frustrations when substituted, suggesting it’s an area for improvement. “That’s his character. He gets angry when he leaves the pitch. That’s normal. Okay, he shouldn’t do that. People need to know that’s how he is. He makes gestures on and off the pitch. It’s nothing,” Benzema explained. He further elaborated, “He was doing well on the pitch, he thought he could do things, have more touches, and he got substituted. He made gestures because he didn’t want to leave the pitch. It’s normal. It’s nothing.”
Finally, Benzema was asked about Vinicius Jr.’s potential to win the Ballon d’Or, a prestigious individual award. “Vini Jr. winning the Ballon d’Or? I think he might win it someday. He can do it. It’s difficult, but he can,” Benzema stated optimistically. He added, “It’ll happen the day he understands that he’s on the pitch solely to play & leaves everything else behind. He has the quality and he’s in the best place to do it, Real Madrid. No better place.”
