Cristiano Ronaldo advice: how Benzema can help Rashford and Martial

FT Desk

• 11 Aug 2022 10:35 CDT
• 3 min read

Karim Benzema has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo's presence at Real Madrid held him back as a goalscorer. Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial should take note if the Portuguese leaves Manchester United.

Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano - the 'BBC' - terrorized world football for the best part of five years in the Real Madrid attack, but it was Ronaldo who got the lions' share of the goals, the team built around the most prolific player in the game.

Benzema has scored 131 goals in the four seasons since Ronaldo left Madrid for Juventus in 2018, compared to 81 in the four seasons before his former teammate's €100 million move to Italy.

Speaking ahead of Real's UEFA Super Cup meeting with Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night - in which Benzema scored the second goal in a 2-0 win - the Frenchman reflected on his increase in productivity.

"It's true that I've scored many more goals," he said. "But when Cristiano was here, we had a different style of play, I was providing more assists. He really helped me on and off the pitch. But at that time, I did know that I could do more and when he left, it was the time to change my game, change my ambitions and I'm doing that well at the moment."

Ronaldo is looking for the fifth big transfer of his career this summer - although he'll no longer fetch €100m - and United could find themselves having to lean on Rashford and Martial in attack with Edinson Cavani having already departed Old Trafford.

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The pair combined for five goals and one assist in United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, but Martial was injured for the opening day 2-1 loss to Brighton while Rashford missed two gilt-edged chances to score.

Rashford only scored five goals last season with Ronaldo in the team having managed 19 in the previous campaign without him. And he shouldn't let his head go down: just look at Benzema.