CRISTIANO RONALDO should thank Karim Benzema for his success at Real Madrid, claims Antonio Cassano.
The Manchester United star was a massive hit at the Bernabeu scoring 450 goals in 438 games.
But he was just one part of the famous BBC trio up front – alongside Benzema and Gareth Bale.
The Frenchman was often overlooked but played a big role in Real's success, producing 47 assists for Ronaldo.
Because of that former Real forward Cassano told Bobo TV, via Area Napoli: "Cristiano Ronaldo has to pray in the morning and say, 'Thank you, Benzema, that you played with me'.
"Ronaldo scores and will always score, but he's a different player; Benzema is a goalscoring centre forward.
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"But he's also (Zinedine) Zidane, he's a (number) nine, ten and a nine and a half.
"In football, there are not only titles and goals, (Zinedine) Zidane scored few goals, but he is one of the greatest in history, (Juan Roman) Riquelme too.
"Goals are useful, titles are useful, but they are not the fundamental things."
Benzema is now shining in the absence of Ronaldo and Bale with the latter making just seven appearances for Carlo Ancelotti's side this term.
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The France striker, meanwhile, has scored 37 goals and produced 13 assists this season – he also has back-to-back Champions League hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
In doing so he has set a new record for most goals in a single Champions League campaign by a Frenchman.
Such is Benzema's impressive form Rio Ferdinand has tipped him to win the Ballon d'Or this year.
Ferdinand said: "He is phenomenal, he is impacting the game in so many different areas, not just goals, assists, link-up play and slowing the game down.
"That sounds like a playmaker, but that's a No9 that has scored 37 goals."
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