Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema believes he was the man to make everything work in Los Blancos’ fabled ‘BBC’ trio.

Benzema was often overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, but has been a proven goalscorer in his own right during his productive 10-year career at the Bernabeu.

The Frenchman saw his value questioned at times, but Ronaldo and Bale always worked hard for the collective cause, and Benzema considers himself to have been the glue which held three ambitious figures together.

“You had the rocket, which was Bale, the goalscorer, which was Cristiano, and then you had me who would be between them, the one that made it all work,” Benzema told RMC Sport.

“At Lyon I was the finisher, and the finisher here was Ronaldo. I played another role with him.

“I scored goals, but I was more involved in the build-up, in movement, trying to open up spaces.

“For me, just because you’re the No.9 doesn’t mean you have to be a goalscorer.

“It’s a different style of play.

“In the years before, the No.9 was usually the goalscorer at Real Madrid, but here it was a winger who came inside, and I moved about to free up some space and allow him to score.

“For me he was the goalscorer, even if he was playing on the left.”