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Benzema vs Ronaldo stats – who can lift one last CL title? – Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo have enjoyed glittering careers in the game, winning five UEFA Champions League (UCL) titles each. These include three consecutive UCL titles with Real Madrid between 2015/16 and 2017/18, while Ronaldo also boasts a UCL triumph with Manchester United.
They are now playing in the AFC Champions League (ACL), the Asian equivalent, and could win another title with Al Ittihad and Al Nassr respectively, as they are two of the more favoured teams in the competition. With matchday two of the ACL on the horizon, we look at who is likelier to become a king of multiple continents.
Benzema vs Ronaldo stats – a litany of greatness
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‘CR7’ leads the silverware stakes
Ronaldo, or ‘CR7’ as he is commonly nicknamed, currently leads Benzema 34 to 33 in terms of trophies for club and country, so the latter has an extra incentive to win the ACL with Al Ittihad if he wants to draw level with his former Real Madrid team-mate.
The majority of their silverware came at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Ronaldo has won silverware at more clubs – namely Sporting CP, Man United, Juventus and the most recent Arab Club Champions Cup with Al Nassr. Benzema, meanwhile, started his career at Lyon before moving to Real Madrid and remaining there prior to his own Saudi conquest.
At international level, they have both won a youth tournament with Portugal and France respectively, while Ronaldo won the Euros in 2016 and Benzema lifted the Nations League in 2021.
Individually, Ronaldo will be considered the better player when both retire, despite the closeness in titles, as the 38-year-old has won five Ballon d’Ors compared to Benzema’s one in 2022. But perhaps the latter was underappreciated when they were team-mates in Spain, as his true quality was largely recognised only when Ronaldo left.
Benzema vs Ronaldo stats – The numbers game
Going into the final Saudi Pro League matchday of September, Ronaldo led the way in terms of goals and assists this season, with 14 goals or assists in eight games (average of 1.75 per match) compared to Benzema’s five in six (average of 0.83).
By the same point, Al Nassr were only fifth in the Saudi Pro League compared to leaders Al Ittihad. This makes Ronaldo’s numbers even more impressive, and suggests that he has more influence on his team than Benzema. Indeed, the former has scored or assisted 50% of Al Nassr’s goals this campaign, whereas Benzema has only scored or assisted 24% of Al Ittihad’s.
In the ACL, Ronaldo played the whole of Al Nassr’s opening encounter as they ran out 2-0 winners against Iranian side Persepolis, while Benzema was absent from Al Ittihad’s 3-0 victory over Uzbekistani team AGMK.
AFC Champions League – a new chapter
Just one matchday has been played out in the ACL so far, with Ronaldo and Benzema’s respective teams Al Nassr and Al Ittihad getting off to winning starts.
Given the firepower both sides possess alongside the two superstars, with Al Nassr signing the likes of Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte this summer and Al Ittihad bringing in N’Golo Kante and Fabinho among others, they will both be among the favourites to win the tournament.
The Saudi sides will generally be expected to go far considering their enormous spending power compared to teams from other countries in the competition, and Al Nassr and Al Ittihad will have to fend off fellow Saudi Pro League teams Al Fayha and Al Hilal if they want to win it.
Al Ittihad would likely be favourites to beat Al Nassr in the final should they meet, given the respective starts to their league campaigns, but Ronaldo would no doubt have a say and could turn the tie in Al Nassr’s favour.
It would be difficult to call, but in this battle of Benzema vs Ronaldo stats, the latter’s superior influence on his team, on top of his elite winning mentality, could give Al Nassr the edge should they meet Al Ittihad in the final.
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