Own Karim Benzema lived a similar situation to what has happened with Vinicius in the last days, although on that occasion he was who had the problem with team veterans, when he landed in the first team of the Olympique de Lyon in 2005. As told in a biography in comic format of the brand that sponsors him, the French striker suffered the jokes of the heavyweights of the Lyon squad, among which stood out Florent Malouda, Eric Abidal, Michael Essien or Giovane Elber.
At that moment it was tradition the newcomers to stand in the center of the locker room and give a little speech. The biography tells that, when Benzema's turn came, the Lyon veterans they began to interrupt with jokes about his person and his figure. Benzema, far from being unfazed by it, heis answered in this way: “I don't care what jokes you make about me. Don't laugh. I am here to replace someone yours”.
After that challenge to Olympique heavyweights, Benzema ended up becoming in a reference in Lyon, where would win four league championships and would become the best player in Ligue 1 at just 20 years old. That earned him to leave the club and make the leap to the Spanish league. In 2009, would sign for him Real Madrid a cchange of 35 million euros. Eleven years have passed since his presentation for the white club at the Santiago Bernabéu and 15 since that crucial moment with the veterans of Olympique de Lyon. Too much time, perhaps, so that Karim remembers and put yourself in the shoes of Vinicius.
On the left and center, Benzema with Lyon veterans. On the right, presented by Madrid.
The comic about Karim I know published in 2009 and it is part of a saga where the biography of the best players of that moment is told, such as Leo Messi, Kaká, David Villa or Xabi Alonso. In that saga, the common thread is Zinedine Zidane, who appears in all volumes as an avid scout who unravels the characteristics of the great soccer talents.
Zidane still he was not a coach in 2009, but he already appeared in the comic as a lover of the game of Karim Benzema, Of which his technique, his ball control or his youth stood out. By the whims of fate, Zidane would end up being Benzema's coach in 2016, when he landed on the bench replacing Rafa Benítez. The rest is history..