The local boy shaped his game in five seasons at Lyon, winning four Ligue 1 titles and being named France's best player before Real came calling
Karim Benzema always had a knack for timing.
The best strikers always do. It’s something innate, they say. It can’t be coached. They arrive early at the near post, they arrive late at the far post. And they’re almost always right on time.
Benzema was always destined to take Ligue 1 by storm, but he couldn’t have picked a better time to kick-start a career that would see him climb to the very top of world football.