I still rate Suarez as the best of this generation. Benzema is among the best though. Excellent player.
So now what happens to Karim Benzema? | Hat-tricks, lots of hat-tricks
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Lewandowski has an extremely solid case as the clear-cut best striker of 2010s ahead of Luis Suarez. There aren't on same level
- Lewy has a higher peak (55 goals in 47 games on better goal-per-game ratio)
- Lewy has superior longevity
- Lewy has 7 consecutive seasons scoring 40+ goals, Suarez has never scored 40+ goals in back-to-back seasons
- Lewy's UCL numbers completely blows Suarez's UCL stats out of the water
- Lewy has more goals against EPL's Big 6 than Suarez despite the former never played in EPL
Suarez gives you more as a team player though. His pressing and dynamisms is unmatched.
Luiz Adriano too
Yes.
He benefited on a collective level winning an insane amount of trophies and all that, 4 CLs in 5 years something that was only possible due to Cristiano being the best player in the competition's history
But I'm 100% positive he'd have better individual numbers had he went to a big club where he could be the main man.
Suarez is a better all round player, presses more, more dynamic and far more creative, can also play right across the front three.
there's an argument he is a greater historical player than Rooney.
Real Madrid's starting XI were almost ridiculously stacked from top to bottom during their UCL-dynatsty. Cristiano was their best player, although most of his teammates were at minimum top 3 players in the world at their positions. Benzema was nowhere near close a top 5 striker between 2016-2018.
Also, not all trophies are created equally and context needs to be added. Most people don't rate Benzema's 4 UCL-titles since he was just a passenger (with notable memorable moments) while Cristiano single-handedly carried Real Madrid's attack. There's a reason why his name is a complete afterthought when Madrid's UCL-dynasty and it's legacy is discussed.
Benzema's 1 LaLiga trophy from 19/20 as the undisupted best player means way more for his legacy than any trophy he won with Cristiano.
The likes of Thomas Muller, Özil, Del Piero, Totti etc. had great individual numbers even despite playing next to clearly better goalscorer....
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No.
Luis Suarez at his best was much more than just goals. He was one of those complete footballers who could win games on his own. In general you make an argument for a few players over based on stats. But from this generation I'd always pick him. He had absolutely everything.
Didn't watch Platini but I'd take Henry over Benzema and I think the latter is fantastic.
The Platini one is a bit of a wild take to be honest. As others have said, Henry is debatable and a pretty good comp.
I watched Platini and it is aburd to consider him as an "attacker". He was the perfect number 10, a "meneur de jeu", a midfield conductor...
Evra is an idiot and a jester. Always has been.
And, as forwards go, I would take Henry and Mbappe in a heartbeat before Benzema.
Wasn't Platini a 10? In which case Zidane would also be ahead of Benzema.
Exactly. Both are midfielders.
I'd take Benzema over Henry
He was more of a deep-lying striker than a 10; a mix of both I guess. But there's zero doubts Platini is head and shoulders above all of them IMO, maybe Mbappe has a chance if he continues his trajectory and has more success with France to overtake him as the French GOAT.
It's not even a question if Benzema is on Platini's level; anyone proffering he is should be summarily dismissed. Platini is in the company of Maradona, Zico and any of the other truly great #10's to play the game, and that's the very highest tier. Platini is fairly argued a top ten player of all-time, of all players to have played the game in documented history. If not in said ten, then always in the next 11-20. Benzema has no business being in a discussion with him and Evra makes himself look a fool mentioning him.
Henry, at least there's a discussion to be had there. Or angles from which Benzema actually comes up trumps.
Henry, at least there's a discussion to be had there. Or angles from which Benzema actually comes up trumps.
I don't think people realize that Platini is probably the best attacker and also the best midfielder in France history. He was perfectly able to do what Zidane was known for a dominate and game through playmaking, he was also excellent at set pieces. We really aren't talking about the same caliber of player.
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It really is insane. Has this sacrilege caused any ripples in France or just been laughed off?
For the record, for anyone who doesn't know: Platini has perhaps the greatest stake for best performance in a major international tournament of all-time. His entire Euro '84 run is just unprecedented, comic book stuff; the World Cup obviously supersedes the Euros, so Maradona's '86 tends to overshadow what Platini did, but pound for pound and performance for performance, imo, Platini has the best set of performances in all of history that's on film: above Pelè, above Garrincha in '62 or Cruyff in '74 and so on and so forth.
He was also the best player in the world for a few seasons in the 80's and it's only with Maradona's World Cup that he broke rank and leaped over his peers in Zico and Platini. It's a different stratosphere to Benzema.
What the hell Mbappe? He has a negligent club career. You cannot live off the world cup forever. He joined a superteam and flopped every year. He's a loser so far.
If you see the Hazard thread I was debating with someone about Maradona and the poster cited his lack of goals and they asked if Platini better than Maradona because he scored more than him for France and I had to admit they are in the same company. Platini is a GOAT level player and is possibly the greatest every European player or at least you can make this argument.
Benzema has just won so bloody much though. Class class player
No, because unlike the tweet shared in this thread Evra said the best number 9, so the competition is Benzema, Papin, Fontaine, Trezeguet and Henry depending on where you put him. In that list I think that Fontaine is still at the top but it's debatable.
Among strikers, I have Fontaine, Benzema and then Henry. Among attackers, I have Platini, Kopa and Fontaine, these three reached all time great level so it's difficult to put anyone above them.
Yes, absolutely. The arguments can swing between: Ronaldo, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Best, Puskas, Charlton,Van Basten, Eusebio and perhaps Zidane (a few others can probably be thrown into the mix, but will usually be drowned out by the above - Matthäus, for example), but Platini is *always* at the top-end of the discussion off his own merit.
That would make sense, and at least it's a reasonable discussion to have with pros and cons across the board.
Evra is being set up here if his words were twisted.
I remember watching a Eurosport documentary about Jus Fontaine and how he scored 9 in a world cup or something. Brings back childhood memories. I only know of Papin through pro evolution soccer
Aye. It’s hard to include him in a top 5 or even in an all-time Real XI because the competition is just off the charts. But it feels dirty not doing so given how central he was to Real becoming a competitive European superpower again after a hiatus of almost four decades. Their best player by ‘98, their unequivocal main man in ‘00, and alternating with Zidane as match-winner by ‘02. There’s a Cantona-esque legacy in how Raul became the centre point in the club’s resurgence back to the top. And that was status achieved through two of those three CL wins prior to the arrival of moneybags Perez.
His longevity is excellent. But lets calm down a little, we're watching him peak right now.
Jeez a backup for lukaku? I hope that was sarcasm 
Anyway I think people are going a bit over the top due to his bombastic recent performances, I feel Lewandowski is the clear best striker of the decade followed by benzema and then in thir comes Suarez.
Remember that aside from the 2017 ucl win almost all of them were very junky and it could have easily gone the other way which would impact the way benzema is seen so people should be more considerate.
Anyway what a career, he'll probably be very content with himself when it's all done and dusted , what a shame as he is another one of those who flew away (we should have gotten him from lyon right there and then).
Anyway I think people are going a bit over the top due to his bombastic recent performances, I feel Lewandowski is the clear best striker of the decade followed by benzema and then in thir comes Suarez.
Remember that aside from the 2017 ucl win almost all of them were very junky and it could have easily gone the other way which would impact the way benzema is seen so people should be more considerate.
Anyway what a career, he'll probably be very content with himself when it's all done and dusted , what a shame as he is another one of those who flew away (we should have gotten him from lyon right there and then).
I'm glad we agree on Platini, but that's a mental take from you on Mbappe.
It’s really not an argument at all, outside of some sections of Utd’s fan base. Benzema’s club career blows Rooney’s out of the water at both individual and collective level, and the only reason he doesn’t have the international career to match that is because of his blackmail fiasco.
People’s memory of Rooney is influenced way too much by his early promises as a teenager. The truth is he was legitimately top 3 player in the world for 18 months, at best.
Team accomplishments doesn't mean anything to rate how good a player was/is, unless if he was the driving force behind their trophy haul.
Is Harry Kane a scrub for having 0 titles despite putting up amazing numbers for both England & Tottenham?
Benzema was just overshadowed by many, many, teammates (not just Cristiano) who were far bigger contributors to Madrid's team success.
Anyone winning World Cup trophy as maybe the best player on his team (or top 3) should rightfully be immortilized. It's the biggest accomplishment in football.
Mbappe has never joined a super team. PSG received an embarrasing 1-6 defeat against Barca & they didn't won Ligue 1 the season before his arrival.
Mbappe is 2nd highest top scorer in PSG's history and earned plenty of individual awards. Hardly a failure from his part.
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Cantona is a good parallel indeed. You would also have a hard time fitting him in a United all-time top 5, or even an XI, but his significance and impact on the club's history and trajectory is right up there in the very top tier.
Suarez has Copa 2011 on his cv though and outscored prime CR7 and Messi (twice)
Nah. what has he done at PSG that he didnt do at Monaco? What are his club accomplishments? La Liga is a more valuable achievement than winning ligue 1. its like comparing someone who wins the Greek league to a Chelsea players accomplishments.
When he came they added a top 3 world player in Neymar among others. They became a super team. The PSG under Zlatan, Di Maria and Cavani had more success and never relinquished a league title. to me thats a flop. Winning a world cup is great of course but doesnt compare with winning 3-4 champions leagues and multiple top titles.
Read the first page…
The more I think about it, the more difficult I think the list is indeed and the more I change my mind.
I think at this point in time it is indeed about 1) Di Stefano and 2) Cristiano Ronaldo and then about players who wouldn't look out of place in TOP5 or TOP10.
Raul, Ramos, Puskas, Benzema, Modric, Gento would not look out of place in, let's say, TOP10. It is fair to say that there is some recency bias with Benzema, but it's also fair to say that Benzema's career at Madrid was already extraordinary before, and that he probably deserved to be in Top 10 had he retired a couple of years ago. Maybe we need to wait until Benzema and Modric end their careers so we can have a better perspective on things. The aspect that tends to be more underrated in the case of Karim is the things he has done as a 10, rather than as a 9. It was common for me to hear pundits (former coaches and footballers) on TV praise Benzema's performances in games ending 0-0 at half time in Liga games. Maybe stats, which are important themselves, are overshadowing everything unfairly these days.
I agree with some posters that Raul's legacy should be put into context and that it was probably damaged by his last years at the club, from 2004 onwards.
Other players like Pirri, Roberto Carlos, Michel, Butragueno, Casillas, Hugo Sanchez, Camacho, Stielike, Juanito, Redondo probably deserve to be in TOP20.
Marcelo too
Also yeah, very fair about Raul. But honestly, Benzema is just a better player than he was i think
Also fair that other than Di Stefano and Cris top 2 you can pretty much pick the rest however the mood takes you
Benzema has been amazing this season, although his Ballon d'Or candidacy is likely over.
Real Madrid are about to get eliminated from UCL, they're down 3-4 against Chelsea in agg. with 20 minutes left to play
Real Madrid are about to get eliminated from UCL, they're down 3-4 against Chelsea in agg. with 20 minutes left to play
You shot your shot way too prematurely
And consider that Benzema was fasting today until the start of the game