Karim Benzema: Is the Real Madrid and France star the best striker in the world? - The Warm-Up
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Updated 11/10/2021 at 08:23 GMT
Karim Benzema’s dipping and curling beauty against Spain helped France to another piece of silverware in Didier Deschamps' trophy-laden time in charge. Yes, Les Bleus may not always be the prettiest on the eye, but they’re a formidable team, and now may well have the best forward in world football in their ranks too. That and more in today’s Warm-Up.
Benzema 'very proud' to win first title with France
MONDAY'S BIG STORIES
IS BENZEMA THE BEST AROUND RIGHT NOW?
World football is awash with outstanding centre-forwards right now. Robert Lewandowski, the 2021 version of Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku.
But there is a strong case for saying that right now it’s Karim Benzema who’s the best of the lot.
The 33-year-old Frenchman is top of both the goalscoring and assist charts after eight rounds of La Liga, playing arguably the best football of his extraordinary career.
And now he’s lighting it up for the France national team too.
Benzema’s brilliant equaliser in the Nations League final lit the touchpaper for his French side, and was a reminder of the outstanding quality he brings to a team who should be favourites to win the World Cup in a little over a year’s time.
The Real Madrid man has always been an amazing link-player, bringing the best out of the forward player around him.
But now he is adding the personal numbers to that selfless style of play. He’s an exceptional player, and seems to be getting better and better with age.
2022 COULD BE AN ALL-TIME CLASSIC
The 2022 World Cup is a little over a year away and if we’ve just been given an indication of what’s to come then everyone should be very excited.
Hosting the World Cup in December in Qatar has its flaws, its many flaws. But one thing that it should mean is a much higher standard of football.
Coming into this autumn-winter spell of the European football season, players are absolutely flying, fitness levels are high, and most are playing close to their peak.
Just look at the quality of some of the football on show in the international fixtures so far during this window, no less than in the Nations League.
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Paul Pogba of France celebrates during the UEFA Nations League 2021 Semi-final match between Belgium and France at Juventus Stadium on October 07, 2021 in Turin, Italy
Image credit: Getty Images
Belgium 2-3 France was an absurdly high-standard game, played at the sort of tempo that is rarely, if ever, seen at a summer World Cup, when many of the game’s brightest talents are fatigued after a long club season.
Now add in the temperatures, which in Qatar in December are typically around mid-20°C. Perfect playing conditions.
And now factor in that there are some outstanding teams building to a crescendo right now:
France are in the middle of an all-time great dynasty, Belgium, Brazil and Portugal are absolutely littered with world-class talent, England are an highly-impressive outfit right now, and Italy showed in the Euros how much quality they can bring.
And then of course there’s the added cherry-on-top that it’s probably Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s last ever appearances at a World Cup, with them still playing excellent football at club level.
The tournament might be a year away still, but it’s almost time to start getting excited.
SOUTHGATE IS IN THE WRONG CAREER
England are back in international action tomorrow against Hungary, where no doubt we’ll be treated to another Gareth Southgate masterclass behind the microphone. For what the Three Lions’ manager may lack in tactical adventurousness, he more than makes up for in diplomacy.
Some of Southgate’s answers to the biggest moral, ethical and political questions of the day are significantly more coherent and considered than anything heard at a political conference in Manchester last week. Not that that’s particularly hard, in truth.
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Gareth Southgate
Image credit: Getty Images
Take Southgate on the Covid vaccinations for example.
This is a man who clearly wants everyone who can to receive the vaccine. But who knows that the vast majority of the squad that he managers have not had both of their jabs.
And so he somehow straddles the line between saying how he feels about vaccinations and not upsetting his players.
“I'm a believer that that's the right thing to do but I understand that there were other topics we've talked about where everybody was aligned and we would all have a very clear view as a team. With this, it's a little bit more nuanced.
“My belief is that the route out of the pandemic is a vaccination programme, I'm yet to hear anybody offer an alternative, and there's not a lot more we can say than that really.”
The Warm-Up may be frustrated by Southgate’s aversion to attacking substitutions, but we could listen to his views on societal issues every day of the week.
IN THE CHANNELS
ICYMI, can The Warm-Up draw your attention to this eye-popping quote from Mike Ashley about the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United.
I received a higher offer for the club than the one that I accepted, Ashley told The Sun. It was from another reputable bidder who made a credible case … But I felt the bid that we accepted from the current new owners would deliver the best for Newcastle United. Money wasn’t my only consideration.
Say what now?!
There are only two possibilities here.
1. Ashley is talking absolute cobblers to make himself look better, which, let’s be honest, isn’t completely out of the question.
Or 2. Ashley is telling the truth. In which case, who on earth made the offer… and how on earth can they be worse than the buyers he accepted?!
RETRO CORNER
The inspirational Sir Bobby Charlton turns 84 today. The Manchester United and England legend was a great of the game, and scored his fair share of screamers too. Check out this belter of a goal montage for proof.
And another little Bobby’s birthday treat, let’s have another look at his role in one of the best-made football adverts of recent times.
Happy Birthday Sir Bobby.
HAT-TIP
An awful lot has been said about the aforementioned takeover of Newcastle United by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
But few cut to the crux of the matter quite as adeptly as Jonathan Wilson in the Guardian.
Fans speak of entering a new era of hope and excitement, a self-absorption that feels sadly typical of the age. They talk of their suffering, for that is the great currency of modern fandom … Everybody suffers, and that can be used to justify, it seems, almost anything, even if that means ignoring actual suffering, the sort that happens in a jail cell or a prison yard or a discreet room in a consulate.
Read the full article here.
COMING UP
The international football just keeps on coming, with Wales desperate for three points against Estonia to keep their World Cup qualification campaign on track.
Ben Snowball will be here with tomorrow's Warm-Up to bring his unique take to the latest round of international results.
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