Emerging at Lyon in the mid-2000s Benzema exploded on to the world stage in 2007/08, his first year as a starter at the Stade Gerland, scoring over 30 goals in a league-winning side. Real Madrid came calling in 2009 and paid over £30million for his services as part of a huge summer transfer spree. After years spent playing second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo, the French international took centre-stage in his 30s and scored 15 goals in the 2021-22 Champions League as Real Madrid won the competition. He won the Ballon d Or for the first time later in 2022, but missed out on his country s World Cup runs in both 2018 and 2022.