Karim Benzema played a great tournament at Yokohama in the FIFA Club World Cup being probably the best Real Madrid player in the tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo won the MVP of the final because he scored a hat trick but we also should focus on Benzema´s performance.
The French striker played really good in the FIFA Club World Cup tournament. In the semifinals he opened the scoreboard against America and in the final he also did it. In the final against Kashima Antlers he showed how a striker can be also a playmaker. Benzema appeared in all the places of the pitch and Cristiano Ronaldo was in great part of the game being the reference in the attack.
Benzema´s mobility is his best quality and in Japan he Japan he showed it once again. In the final he was continually moving, trying to combine with the midfielders with the objetive of opening the Japanese defense. He also opened the scoreboard after taking advantage of a goalkeeper rejection from a Modric shot in a pure striker action. The best Real Madrid moments came when Benzema appeared and when he and all the team relaxed, Kashima started to play good.
We saw Benzema very involved in the match. He fought every ball, he helped his teammates in defense and he always was offering to try to combine lowering to the center of the field. This contribution was very important because it helped a lot to have more possession of the ball when the match was in a very difficult moment.
His talent reappeared again in the extra time assisting Cristiano in the Real Madrid’s goal. This goal was necessary because Los Blancos were having very bad minutes because Kashima were having many chances to score the 3-2. Benzema fought until the end of the match fighting for each ball and pausing the game when it was necessary. Maybe because of his great performance, Zidane did not substitute him and his reward was to stay in the field until the last minute to finish one of his best matches since he is at Madrid.
These are very good new for Real Madrid. Karim Benzema is very important for Real Madrid because he is a different player that can change a match. Let’s see if the French striker can continue with this performance after Christmas vacations.
