Karim Benzema appeared to subtly respond after his former Real Madrid teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, chose Kylian Mbappé over him when asked to pick between the two football stars.
The incident occurred during Ronaldo’s appearance on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, where Ronaldo was asked to decide between Benzema, who now plays for Al-Ittihad, and Mbappé, Real Madrid’s most recent forward acquisition. Without hesitation, Ronaldo smiled and replied, “Mbappé.”
This decision caught attention as Ronaldo shared an illustrious partnership with Benzema during their time at Real Madrid, where they played together in a total of 342 matches, linking up for 76 goals. Despite their history, Ronaldo opted for the younger French forward Mbappé, who has yet to share the field with Ronaldo, over his long-time striking partner Benzema.
In what many interpreted as a subtle reaction, Benzema took to his Instagram story just hours after Ronaldo’s comment. He posted a photo of his 2022 Ballon d’Or trophy but left the post without any accompanying caption.
According to the Spanish outlet Diario AS, the timing of the post suggests that Benzema’s story was a direct response to Ronaldo’s preference for Mbappé. Despite Mbappé’s impressive achievements, he has yet to win the coveted Ballon d’Or, whereas Benzema claimed the prestigious award in 2022, solidifying his legacy in world football.
While Mbappé is a nominee for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, he is not currently considered one of the top contenders for the award.