“I could say Modric, Kroos, Chelsea Hazard but I have to go with him” - Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger names greatest player he played with

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger recently heaped praise on former teammate Karim Benzema, describing him as the best player he played alongside.

During a recent interview with the Inside Scoop (via @MadridXtra on X), the German international, reflecting on his time at various top clubs, stated:

“Best player I have played with? Karim Benzema! I could say… Modric, Kroos, Chelsea Hazard but I have to go with Benzema.”

The duo played together for just a season but went on to win multiple trophies together. Benzema was awarded the Ballon d'Or for his exceptional European double-winning performance in the 2021-22 season. The Frenchman ended his stint with Real Madrid next summer, moving away to the Saudi Pro League.

The 36-year-old left the Santiago Bernabeu with 354 goals and 165 assists from 648 appearances, finishing as the club's second-highest all-time top scorer. Especially, the season before Rudiger joined the club, Benzema went on a goalscoring spree, scoring 44 goals and assisting 15 times in 46 appearances for Los Blancos.

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"He’s a very down-to-earth" - Antonio Rudiger on his new Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappe

Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger also weighed in on the addition of Kylian Mbappe, which has sparked many debates even amongst the most dedicated Real Madrid supporters. Addressing concerns about the 25-year-old’s impact on team dynamics, the center-back asserted during the Inside Scoop (via Managing Madrid):

“You hear these things, ‘Oh, Kylian will interrupt the dressing room,’ but he’s a very down-to-earth guy. I see him mature and he’s already scoring goals, influential, and the link-up game with him, Vini, Rodrygo and Jude is getting better.”

Furthermore, Rudiger was also asked about Jude Bellingham, whose staggering performance last year led the club to the UCL title. The German international attributed much of the midfielder’s success to his strong upbringing.

“I believe if God marks your time, nobody can do anything about it and he was there always at the right time. And luckily, he has great parents. I spoke to his mum a couple of times, I met them at Chelsea, and Jude told me his mum remembered I was the only one who greeted them that day,” Rudiger shared.