THERE’S only one thing forwards dream about other than securing a Champions League medal for their club – and that’s to be the top goalscorer.
Well, Karim Benzema did both last season as the Frenchman’s 15 goals secured the golden boot as well as contributed to Real Madrid’s 14th triumph in club football‘s top-tier competition.
The TimesKarim Benzema helped Real Madrid to secure their 14th Champions League triumph[/caption]
However, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner has failed to register a single goal throughout the entire group stage.
And instead, it’s his French compatriot who leads the race after the group stages, alongside one of England’s most prolific forwards in recent years.
Who scored this week in the Champions League?
Kingsley Coman got the winner for Bayern Munich in their cage first-leg affair against Paris Saint-Germain in Paris.
Brahim Diaz’s strike was enough to see AC Milan take a one-goal lead going into their second leg against Tottenham Hotspur.
And Karim Adeyemi’s sublime solo effort sunk Chelsea on Wednesday.
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Champions League top scorers 2022/23
As of Thursday, November 3
Kylian Mbappe (PSG) – 7
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 7
Erling Haaland (Man City) – 5
Mehdi Taremi (Porto) – 5
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) – 5
Lionel Messi (PSG) – 4
Leroy Sane (Bayern) – 4
Jude Bellingham (Dortmund) – 4
Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli) – 4
Giovanni Simeone (Napoli) – 4
Mohammed Kudus (Ajax) – 4
Noah Okafor (Salzburg) – 3
Mykhaylo Mudryk (Shakhtar) – 3
Sadio Mane (Bayern) – 3
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Who has previously won the Champions League top scorer award?
Cristiano Ronaldo leads the way for the amount of top scorer awards won having clinched it SEVEN times, while Lionel Messi is close behind with six.
AFP or licensorsCristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have 13 top scorer awards between them[/caption]
2021/22: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) – 152020/21: Erling Haaland (Dortmund) – 102019/20: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern) – 152018/19: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 122017/18: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 152016/17: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 122015/16: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 162014/15: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Neymar (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 102013/14: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 172012/13: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – 122011/12: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 142010/11: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 122009/10: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 82008/09: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) – 92007/08: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – 82006/07: Kaká (AC Milan) – 102005/06: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan) – 92004/05: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) – 82003/04: Fernando Morientes (Monaco) – 92002/03: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) – 122001/02: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) – 102000/01: Raúl González (Real Madrid) – 71999/2000: Mário Jardel (Porto), Rivaldo (Barcelona), Raúl González (Real Madrid) – 101998/99: Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv), Dwight Yorke (Manchester United) – 81997/98: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) – 101996/97: Milinko Pantić (Atlético Madrid) – 51995/96: Jari Litmanen (Ajax) – 91994/95: George Weah (Paris Saint-Germain) – 71993/94: Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona) – 51992/93: Franck Sauzée (Marseille) – 5
What did Karim Benzema win for being Champions League top goalscorer?
French forward Karim Benzema’s 15 goals contributed to Real Madrid winning the Champions League last season.
EPABenzema won UEFA Men’s Player of the Year while Ancelotti secured best coach[/caption]
And it also was a big factor in him being named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award.
After collecting his award, Benzema said: I’m really happy,
“It’s the first time I’ve won this trophy but for me the most important thing is to win trophies with the team.
“Mr Ancelotti is the best coach in the world; he gets it right with every player, he gives us confidence and he tells you what to do before every match.”