Endrick is thrilled to be stepping into the legacy of Karim Benzema at Lyon, though he acknowledges that the French superstar is “light years ahead” of him.
Since joining Lyon on loan from Real Madrid in December, the Brazilian teenage forward has netted five goals in five matches, leading to comparisons with Benzema, winner of the 2022 Ballon d’Or, who made his mark at Lyon during his early career.
Endrick, 19, contributed to a 2-0 victory over Laval on Wednesday, securing Lyon’s place in the quarterfinals of the Coupe de France.
When confronted with comparisons to Benzema, he remarked: “It’s a compliment to me because he’s an extraordinary player, one of the best ever. However, Karim is light years ahead of me. I wish him all the best at Al Hilal. I’m very happy to be here, where Karim played.”
Benzema, now 38, rose through the ranks at Lyon, helping them capture four Ligue 1 titles before moving to Real Madrid in 2009, where he amassed 25 trophies, including four La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey titles, and five Champions League trophies.
A 2022 World Cup runner-up, Benzema recently signed with Al Hilal, leaders of the Saudi Pro League, after contributing to Al Ittihad’s league and King’s Cup triumphs last season.
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