Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has argued that he is blessed with both the best midfield and best striker in the world.
The midfield trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro have been on top of the world for a while now, and while Karim Benzema has always been recognised as a top forward, his game has exploded in recent years and he was an outside shout for the 2021 Ballon d’Or.
The quartet, alongside the rest of the team’s stars, have shone on their climb to the top of the La Liga table this season, and Ancelotti confessed to AS that he believes they are among the best on the planet in their respective positions.
On his midfield, Ancelotti began: “I do [believe they are the best]. All three form the best midfield in the world today.
“Perhaps the midfielders who play box-to-box are more popular, but Modric, Kroos and Casemiro have so much experience and so much ability that they are extraordinary. In addition, they mix so well together. When the three of them are together, nobody can compare to them.”
Ancelotti had similar praise for Benzema, who sits atop the league’s scoring charts with a return of 15 goals from just 18 games for Real.
“I think [he’s the best striker] because now he adds great ability and scoring consistency to his football,” Ancelotti said of the Frenchman. “He scores as many as Cristiano Ronaldo or [Erling] Haaland.
“Benzema is a player who makes a difference. We just saw him prove that again in the match against Athletic, with two goals in a very short time. He is in spectacular form.”
The boss also stressed that he believes Benzema and Kroos can mimic Modric and continue to play at the highest level for the best part of the next decade.
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“I am sure of it because I see them work every day and I know they are professionals to the fullest,” he said. “I believe that the three of them can reach 40 years of age competing at a high level.
“It is true that what I say is more complicated for a forward, who has greater wear and tear than a midfielder, but I think all three can do it.”
