He arrives at the gala accompanied by Felipe Reyes (This one, award for a career). The two represent Real Madrid in this AS sports gala. At 33 years old, Benzema is, without a doubt, in the best moment of his career. More decisive than ever, just as artist as ever. “It’s like wine, it gets better with the years,” he recently praised him. Ancelotti. “He is the total player”, he had sentenced Zidane shortly before. They are the last two technicians who have enjoyed their benefits, qualities that excite, match by match, not only Madrid fans, but those from all over the football planet. Benzema is a well deserved AS Sports Award.
Receives the award from Enrique Arribas (Director of Corporate Marketing and Brand of Banco Santander. “Thanks a lot. I always try to improve on the field, in training, to continue as I am, enjoying and helping my team win“, he says, already with Mariscal’s sculpture in hand. And Susana Guasch takes advantage of the fact that she has him in front to ask him about the dust that raised the draw for the eighth of the Champions League. “I think we have to win every game to win the Champions League”, says about the change from Benfica to PSG. They are a great team, but so are we. We go there to win. It is the game that everyone wants to play. They are very important games for us and for the fans. We want the Champions“, resume.
Benzema receives this recognition from AS just after being the man of the day in the League. Touched by some muscular discomfort, he risked to play the derby and the bet went well. A lash from him, a flag goal splicing a difficult volley, broke the game and thus gave half the league to his Madrid. His commitment as captain is unquestionable.
If you came close to lifting the past Golden Ball, in reality Benzema is already firmly presenting his candidacy to win that of 2022. When it is delivered it will be 34 years old, most likely will have won the League (of which he aspires to be Pichichi, now it is with 13 goals, three more than Vinicius and Juanmi) and has all the options open in the Champions League and in the Cup. And, above all, the France of which he is now a star along with Mbappé is the favorite for the World Cup in Qatar, which takes place just before the France Football award is handed out.
Benzema’s march is unstoppable. There are already 45 goals that he has scored in the calendar year for Cristiano’s 46, Haaland’s 47 or Mbappé’s 49 (only Lewandowski shoots with 66). We are talking about a future that looks very good for him … In the present, he already has the deserved recognition of the community of readers of this newspaper. Is Benzema, the nine with the soul of ten, as he says, brand new AS Sports Award 2021.
“Let’s see if Mbappé comes”
Upon leaving the annual AS gala, Benzema chatted with Manu Carreño at El Larguero de la Cadena SER. He valued the award, the moment of Real Madrid and the possible signing of his friend Mbappé.
Congratulations on the 2021 AS Sports Award. Before this you didn’t expect to have won the Ballon d’Or, perhaps?
Well, it’s another trophy, too. The most important thing is the collective, the collective things.
And collectively, Madrid is doing very well …
Well well. We are fine, we are first in LaLiga, classified in the Champions League, we won … We have to continue like this until the end.
Is LaLiga already from Madrid?
It’s too early to talk about favorites, but we’re on the right track.
Has 2021 been your best year?
Better and better, every year is better than the last. I always try to do better than in the previous year.
Modric, Kroos, Casemiro, Vinicius, Alaba, Militao… Madrid is a well-tuned orchestra.
I think we all row in the same boat, on the same path, and so we see a very good Madrid with many intentions in all the titles that we can win.
How do you celebrate this award?
Resting at home. That tomorrow we have to train.
The Vinicius thing, how is it explained?
I’m not surprised, I know him, I knew that he could do these things in the field.
And you will see with Mbappé, next year.
Let’s see if it comes.