Why Karim Benzema is finally getting the respect he deserves

Karim Benzema has led France into the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

No, he didn’t score in the 2-0 victory over Nigeria. He didn’t play his best match of the tournament, either. In fact, with France unable to find the opening goal until the 80th minute, Benzema came in for plenty of criticism during the contest.

Much of that was down to Didier Deschamps’ decision to play him on the left wing of a three-man attack, where he was clearly uncomfortable and unable to connect with Olivier Giroud — who didn’t exactly help out by turning in his worst performance of the competition.

When the lanky striker was removed for winger Antoine Griezmann in the 62nd minute, Benzema was allowed to assume his natural position at the top of the attack. The contrast in his performance from that moment on was striking.

Yes, Griezmann was lively and involved. But Benzema was everywhere. He picked up the ball in the hole, sliced through defenders with a combination of power and skill and looked like the player that dominated both Honduras and Switzerland earlier in the month.

Only a great save from Vincent Enyeama and a goal-line clearance from Victor Moses kept the 26-year-old from scoring his fourth goal of the tournament. Snark on Twitter turned into the realization that he may just be a pretty damn good striker.

It was a perfect microcosm of his career, really.

Despite consistently being one of the more potent goal scorers in the world, Benzema is rarely included among the class that his numbers would suggest he belongs.

We heard all about Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and many others (with good reason), coming into this tournament. Benzema was little more than an afterthought.

Playing at Real Madrid and not being named Cristiano or Gareth will do that to you.

Now free from the two shadows that loom large over the Santiago Bernabeu, Benzema is the undisputed star of a French squad that was questioned following the announcement that Franck Ribery would miss the tournament with a back injury. 

Where would the goals come from? Who was going to create chances? With 3 goals and 2 assists in four matches - along with forcing one own goal against Honduras and executing more key passes than any other player in the competition so far - those queries have been answered.

It’s a redemption story, of sorts.

Cast not too long ago as a lazy, overweight, disinterested striker who would never live up to the massive potential he showed at Lyon, Benzema has often been viewed as a disposable piece at the club level.

The numbers he puts up are erroneously dismissed as the result — not of his own skill — but of the talent around him. Sure, he scores goals — 17 in La Liga this season and a further 5 in the Champions League — but anybody could do that with those players supporting him.

Where he plays has held him back from being considered on the same level as the world’s best strikers.

That’s why rumors of a Real Madrid move for Radamel Falcao exist. That’s why Suarez was (is?) reportedly at the top of the shopping list for Los Blancos this summer, along with compatriot Edinson Cavani.

Maybe the speculation will never go away. Perhaps even a World Cup victory and Golden Ball won’t be enough to make Real Madrid and many others believe that Benzema is one of the very best strikers in the world.

French manager Didier Deschamps realizes it, though.

“Karim has confirmed he is in very, very big form at this World Cup,” Deschamps said earlier this month, via The Telegraph. “It is evident that he has a joie de vivre at this tournament, which makes you happy to see.

“But he is a world-class player, and since the play-off victory against Ukraine in November, he plays for France as he does for Real. And to have a player as efficient as that is very important for our prospects.”

With Les Bleus now in the quarterfinals following Monday's win, those prospects look very promising. Benzema is the main reason why. It’s about time we realize it.