Karim Benzema has said he believes former teammate Vinícius Júnior “will win the Ballon d’Or one day” after the Real Madrid forward missed out on the award last year.
Benzema, who left Madrid for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia in 2023, attended Madrid’s 3-0 Spanish Supercopa semifinal win over Mallorca in Jeddah on Thursday, after visiting the team at their hotel in the city.
Vinícius finished second in the 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or standings — behind Manchester City midfielder Rodri — with Madrid boycotting the Paris ceremony in protest.
“[I told Vinicius] to not take any notice,” Benzema told Marca in an interview on Saturday. “He shouldn’t lower his intensity, because he’s the best in the world, and one day he will win the Ballon d’Or.”
Benzema won the Ballon d’Or in 2022 after a season in which he led Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double — a feat which wasn’t enough to see Vinicius handed the prize two years later.
However, the Brazil international did win FIFA’s men’s The Best award last month.
Benzema’s Al Ittihad are top of the Saudi Pro League with 36 points from 13 games, with the forward scoring 10 goals in 10 appearances.
He dismissed reports that he’s considering retiring at the end of this season.
“I don’t know whose words they are. Nonsense,” Benzema said. “I don’t have a limit, to be able to say that in two, three or four years, that I’ll be leaving football. I feel good. My body is fine. I train well and we’ll see how I feel each year.”
In his first season in Saudi Arabia, Benzema failed to win a trophy, with Al Ittihad finishing fifth in the league, but the team’s form has improved this campaign.
“I want to keep winning,” Benzema said. “In my head, I want to win a trophy with Al Ittihad. It’s difficult because the level has improved a lot and the teams are strong, better than before. We’ll keep working, because we haven’t won anything yet.”
The former France international refused to rule out returning to Madrid in the future in some capacity.
“Why not?” Benzema said. “I’m in Jeddah now, and I’m happy. The time will come to see how my life is, and for sure I’ll be close to Madrid.”
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