Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United defender, called Karim Benzema "the finest number 9 on the planet" and believes his name should already be etched on the Ballon d'Or.

The 34 year old Frenchman scored three goals to lead Real Madrid to a 31 victory against Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarter final encounter. In just 37 games for Los Blancos this season, the striker has already scored 37 goals, his best ever record.

'It's the end of the season, and he's still scoring goals.' 'He's propelled his club to the top of the league; they're 12 points off the top. He is the talisman, he is the leader today, and he has emerged from Cristiano Ronaldo's shadow`. Ferdinand stated on BT Sport.

He even stated that he is the best number 9 on the planet for me. We can talk about Lewandowski and Harry Kane returning to their old form, but this man (Benzema) is on another level right now. 'He was unbelievable; he affects the game in different ways, not just goals, assists, link play and slows down. Looks like a soccer player, but he’s number 9 with 37 goals
"He was magical, he was amazing in the last draw, he had a hat-trick and then another hat-trick here."

"This man made all the difference." Yes, their tactics were great, especially in the first half. Vinicius hovered around the open spaces, holding on to Andreas Christensen, then opportunities presented themselves, which he captured brilliantly.

Joe Cole and Steve McManaman, his two fellow pundits, agree with him and praise him for the absolute excellence in all of his goals at Stamford Bridge. "His ability to make decisions, to compose and to apply the right technique, all his momentum is coming back," Cole added.

“It was his ability to move from the inside out, he knew he didn't have to fly in the box,” commented McManaman. He knows where all the defenders are and his expertise is invaluable.