Karim Benzema’s subtle ‘Ballon d’Or’ dig after Cristiano Ronaldo backs Kylian Mbappe over him

Karim Benzema took a subtle dig at his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo on social media. The Frenchman and the Portugues legend were a formidable duo during their time together at Real Madrid and won four Champions League titles together, including a three-peat in 2015–16, 2016–17 and 2017–18.

They joined Madrid in the same year – 2009, but Benzema had to play under Ronaldo’s shadows for years. However, when the latter left the club, the French striker flourished as the main man in the attacking department. Benzema played a crucial role in Madrid’s UCL triumph in the 2021-22 season and also won the Ballon d’Or for his extraordinary year.

Ronaldo recently opened his YouTube channel and invited his former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand for an interaction. The veteran centre-back interviewed Ronaldo and asked him to choose one between Benzema and Kylian Mbappe, to which the five-time Ballon d’Or made a shocking choice by picking Real Madrid’s new signing over his former teammate.

Ronaldo’s choice stunned several fans on social media. They were surprised that the Portuguese star snubbed Benzema, with whom he shared great camaraderie during their time at Santiago Bernabeu.

Benzema has now taken a subtle dig by posting his 2022 Ballon d’Or photo on his Instagram story.

Recently, Benzema opened up about his passion for football and how it has shaped his mindset.

“I’ve felt this pressure since I was eight years old, when I first started playing for a professional club. Over time, it has transformed into ambition. For this upcoming season, I view it not as pressure but as ambition. This mindset drives me to excel and help my team win, with the support of my teammates because football is a team sport. Fans always expect more. When you support a team, you want them to win and perform well, which can lead to occasional frustration. It’s up to us players to deliver. I believe the fans are like the twelfth man on the field. Here, they are fantastic, and this season, I’m sure they will be proud of us,” as per quoted by Sony Sports Network.