Karim Benzema reacts to GOAT claim from former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo by revealing who he considers to be ‘the best’

Portuguese superstar Ronaldo recently billed himself as the most “complete” player in history, with the qualities that he possesses allowing him to rank above the likes of Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele. Unsurprisingly, those comments have generated a lively debate.

CR7 boasts the numbers to back up his argument, as a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and the all-time leading goalscorer for Real Madrid. He is still going strong at the age of 40 with Al-Nassr and is being backed to reach 1,000 career goals before record-shattering boots are hung up for the final time.

Benzema can appreciate why CR7 is giving himself the biggest of billings, but the French striker told TNT Sports Brazil when offering his take on the GOAT debate: “I think everyone can say what they want. If he thinks he is the best in history, then he is. It depends, for me, for example, the best is Ronaldo from Brazil.”

Al-Ittihad frontman Benzema, who has a Ballon d’Or of his own after starring for Real in the wake of Ronaldo’s departure, went on to say: “I don't like to make comparisons between players, each one has their own story, he [Ronaldo] has his own and it's a very good one.”

Having once been colleagues at Santiago Bernabeu, Benzema and Ronaldo are now rivals in the Middle East. They are competing for Golden Boot honours in the Saudi Pro League, with remarkable individual standards being maintained in the latter stages of their respective careers.