Karim Benzema equaled Raul Gonzalez Blanco's Real Madrid goal in the La Liga match with Levante on Thursday, with the 34-year-old scoring 323 goals for header Los Blancos in his first half.
After Ferland led Mendi Madrid early in the Bernabeu, Benzema joined Vincius Jr.'s header to make it 2-0 to the hosts, who have already been confirmed as Spanish champions. Rodrigo Goss and Vinicius then added third and fourth for Madrid before the break, before Benzema set up for the next 5-0 in the middle of the second half.
Benzema is now second only to Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema's former Madrid teammate, is now ahead of the French striker in the club's all-time scoring chart. Ronaldo scored 450 goals in nine seasons at the Bernabeu before leaving in 2018.
Real Madrid's all-time leading goalscorer
1 Cristiano 450
2 Raul 323
2 Benzema 323
4D Stefano 308
5 Santillana 290
6 Puskas 242
7 Hugo Sanchez 208
8 Gento 182
9 p. 172
10 Butragueño 171
Benzema has come out of Ronaldo's shadow
Since Ronaldo's departure, for which Benzema worked as a foil, the Frenchman has surpassed all expectations in the face of this French goal. While the pair were teammates, Benzema scored 192 goals in 412 appearances. In his 191 Madrid games since the Portuguese left the Bernabeu, the former Leon Man has scored 131 goals.
With Benzema scoring 30 in 2018-19, 27 in 2019-20 and 30 in the final, Benzema has been Madrid's highest scorer every season since taking over as the team's attacking leader. At the time, he was ahead of former stars Hugo Sanchez and Ferenc Puskas in Madrid's list of top scorers, and this season he has surpassed Santilana, Alfredo Di Stefano and now Raúl.
Benzema Pichichi, UCL set for the top scorer award
In 2021-22, Benzema has now scored 44 goals in 44 games, surpassing his previous best 32-set score in 2011-12. In La Liga, his 26 goals so far, the highest scorer of the season in Spanish top flight, seems certain to have won him his first Pichichi award: his closest player in the race for the award is Celta Vigo Yago Aspas, who has 17.
Benzema is on track to end his campaign as the top marksman in the Champions League by hitting the net 15 times in Europe's top club competition in 2021-22. With the Madrid striker facing Liverpool in the final in Paris on 28 May, the striker still has a chance to break Ronaldo's record of 17 goals in a single season in the Champions League.