Ronaldo, Benzema, and the Greatest Real Madrid No. 9s Following Kylian Mbappe’s Unveiling
- Kylian Mbappe stole the spotlight as he was presented as a Real Madrid player following the completion of his transfer
- The former Paris Saint-Germain forward opted for the jersey number nine, a jersey most recently worn by Karim Benzema
- Legit.ng highlights a list of some of the greatest players to have donned the number nine kit for the La Liga powerhouse
Kylian Mbappe once again captured the spotlight as he was officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player.
The event concludes a seven-year transfer saga that consistently dominated headlines every summer regarding his potential move to the Spanish giants.
The French forward chose the number nine jersey, which has been vacant since Karim Benzema's departure.
Source: Getty Images
Many Real Madrid icons have graced the famous number nine jersey, with Benzema being the most notable. He won the 2021/22 Ballon d'Or following an exceptional season with Real Madrid.
In light of this, Legit.ng has curated a list of some of the best players to wear Real Madrid's number nine jersey in recent history.
Best Real Madrid number nines in recent history
Karim Benzema
The world-class French striker has to go down in history as one of the best players in Real Madrid's history to don the iconic number.
Benzema only got the No. 9 shirt after Cristiano Ronaldo vacated it in 2010.
Since then, the French international developed into an integral player for Los Blancos, scoring 354 goals in 648 appearances through his 14-year stint, according to data courtesy of Fotmob.
Ivan Zamorano
Few players have ever desired to wear the number nine shirt as passionately as the Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano.
Zamorano's love for the number was so great that, during his time at Inter, he chose to wear the jersey number 1+8 to keep the essence of his preferred number.
Zamorano joined Real Madrid in 1992, tasked with the challenging role of replacing Hugo Sanchez at the Bernabeu.
The Chilean international did not disappoint, scoring 101 goals in 173 appearances and helping Real Madrid secure their first La Liga title in five years during the 1994-95 season, when he also finished as the league’s top goalscorer.
Ronaldo
The iconic Brazilian enjoyed a stellar spell at Real Madrid, although his most prolific season in front of goal came while he wore the number 11 jersey.
Ronaldo was given the number nine shirt in 2003 following Morientes’ departure.
Over the next four years, he scored 74 goals in 133 appearances across all competitions before injuries and weight issues ended his time at the La Liga powerhouse.
Cristiano Ronaldo
While the legendary football icon is primarily associated with the number seven jersey, the Portuguese forward wore the number nine during his debut season with Real Madrid.
As expected, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner lived up to expectations. Despite an injury-plagued debut campaign, he still managed to score 33 goals in 35 appearances.
Davor Suker
Another footballing icon who donned the number nine kit for Real Madrid is Davor Suker.
The Croatian forward, signed from Sevilla in 1996, formed a formidable attacking trio with Raul Gonzalez and Predrag Mijatovic at the Bernabeu.
During his three years at the club, Suker scored 49 goals in 109 appearances, winning both a La Liga title and the Champions League.
Suker was an integral part of Real Madrid's attacking force that began a six-year dominance in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
With Mbappe set to spearhead Real Madrid's attack and an array of players ready to assist him, the marquee forward, who signed a five-year deal with the club as reported by Marca, is expected to score a plethora of goals wearing the number nine jersey.
Mbappe waxes lyrical about Ronaldo
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Mbappe paid glowing tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo after his much-talked-about unveiling as a Real Madrid player.
The Frenchman, who holds Ronaldo in high esteem, has already outlined an audacious plan ahead of the new campaign.
He could win his maiden trophy as a Los Blancos player as early as August 14 when Madrid faces Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
