Karim Benzema becomes Real Madrid’s joint-second highest scorer, equalling Raul’s record
Karim Benzema equalled Raúl González Blanco’s Real Madrid scoring tally in Thursday’s 6-0 LaLiga win over Levante, the 34-year-old’s first-half header taking him to 323 goals for Los Blancos.
After Ferland Mendy had given Madrid an early lead at the Bernabéu, Benzema nodded in Vinícius Júnior’s cross to make it 2-0 to the hosts, who have already been confirmed as Spanish champions. Rodrygo Goes then added a third, before Vinícius claimed the first hat-trick of his career.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema’s former Madrid colleague, is now ahead of the France striker in the club’s all-time scoring charts. Ronaldo racked up 450 goals in nine seasons at the Bernabéu, before leaving in 2018.
Since the departure of Ronaldo, the Frenchman has exceeded all expectations in front of goal. When the pair were teammates, Benzema scored 192 goals in 412 appearances.
In his 191 Madrid games since the Portuguese left the Bernabéu, the former Lyon man has hit 131 goals.
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Benzema has been Madrid’s highest scorer in every season since he assumed the mantle of the team’s attacking leader, scoring 30 in 2018-19, 27 in 2019-20 and 30 last term. During that time he moved ahead of former stars Hugo Sánchez and Ferenc Puskas on Madrid’s list of top scorers, and this season he has overtaken Santillana, Alfredo Di Stéfano and now Raúl.
In 2021-22, Benzema has now bagged 44 goals in 44 appearances, eclipsing his previous best tally of 32 set in 2011-12.
In LaLiga, his total so far of 27 goals looks all but certain to earn him his first ever Pichichi award as the season’s top scorer in the Spanish top flight: the closest player to him in the race for the prize is Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas, who has 17.
Benzema is also on the verge of finishing the campaign as the leading marksman in the Champions League, having netted 15 times in Europe’s top club competition in 2021-22.
With Madrid due to face Liverpool in the final in Paris on 28 May, the striker still has the chance to break Ronaldo’s record of 17 goals in a single Champions League season.
Real Madrid’s all-time top scorers
1 Cristiano 450 goals
2 Raúl 323 goals
2 Benzema 323 goals
4 Di Stéfano 308 goals
5 Santillana 290 goals
6 Puskas 242 goals
7 Hugo Sánchez 208 goals
8 Gento 182 goals
9 Pirri 172 goals
10 Butragueño 171 goals
