Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has moved into fifth place on the club’s all-time goalscorer list, ahead of Bernabeu legend Ferenc Puskas, after scoring for the 243rd time.
Benzema scored twice in Real’s 3-0 win over Valencia on Thursday night. He started the game trailing Puskas’ tally of 242 but finished the contest one ahead of the Hungarian icon, with his double which included a goal of the season contender.
Karim Benzema. Wow. pic.twitter.com/4gLLzxuRkv
— 90min (@90min_Football) June 19, 2020
Puskas is regarded as one of the best players of all time, both for achievements with the Hungarian national team in the early and mid-1950s and later with Real upon moving to Spain in 1958.
Only four players in Real’s entire history have now scored more goals for the club than Benzema – Santillana (290), Alfredo Di Stefano (308), Raul (323) and Cristiano Ronaldo (450).
“I didn’t imagine anything like this, I’m very happy,” Benzema told RealMadrid.com.
“I’ve been working for a long time now and I always put it in to keep improving. I hope I can keep going. I’m very happy to be playing for this club.”
Only 4 players in Real history have scored more than Benzema
Benzema has played 503 games for Madrid in the 11 years since he joined Real from Lyon in 2009. That is far more than the 262 Puskas appeared in, although he has a better goals-per-game ratio than both Santillana and Raul recorded during their respective careers in Madrid.
As noted by Marca, Benzema also now has eight seasons of scoring at least 20 goals for Los Blancos, a feat only achieved by club legends Raul, Ronaldo and Di Stefano.
During his time in the Spanish capital, Benzema has won two La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies, four Champions Leagues, four FIFA Club World Cups and three UEFA Super Cups.
Football is my life and my love but my family gives me everything ❤️ #HalaMadrid #Nueve ??? pic.twitter.com/Av4fAPMMVf
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) June 18, 2020
The victory for Real closed the gap to Barcelona at the top of La Liga back to two points following Barça’s win over Leganes earlier in the week.
With Madrid 11 points clear of third place Valencia it is has become a two-horse race in Spain, with only nine games of the restarted season now left to play.
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