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After a historic season with Real Madrid, Karim Benzema has been deservedly placed at the top of the FIFA 23 rating list. The Frenchman has become the highest-rated player in the game, joining the likes of Lewandowski and Messi while surpassing the rating of his former teammate, Ronaldo.
Under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid won not only La Liga last season but also lifted the Champions League trophy for a record 14th time. Benzema was clearly an integral part of their success.
Coco, as he is nicknamed, not only scored the most goals in both the domestic league and Champions League, he was also awarded the UEFA Player of the Year award for his exceptional performance.
The French striker's achievements last season might have secured him a top rated card with substantial boosts across the stats. But some of his stats, such as 80 pace, might leave players wanting more in a 91 rated-attacker.
With EA's release of top La Liga player ratings, let's take a look at how the Frenchman holds up against his new rival Lewandoski and others.
FIFA 23 Benzema rating: The good, the bad and the pace
Over the years playing for Real Madrid, the striker has proved his worth multiple times. Admittedly overshadowed by star players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema has admirably stepped up to the task of leading the team through his superb goalscoring abilities since the Portuguese left a few years ago.
2021/22 was an unprecedented season for both the team and him. The forward scored a whopping 27 goals in La Liga and another 15 in the Champions League. The prolific goal scorer got a two-point boost to his shooting prowess in FIFA 23 with a rating of 88 and has a respectable passing stat of 83.
However, Benzema's player card does seem deficient in the stats that are considered meta in FIFA games, especially FUT. If FIFA 23 is anything like its predecessors, pace, agility and balance are essential for any striker to be effective.
Players like Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, who have high-paced stats, are more likely to get past in-game defenders, rather than bulkier and slower players such as Karim.
The Los Blancos striker distinctly lacks in the pace department even after a four-point increase to 80. A closer look into his player's card tells the same tale. He has 78 agility, 72 balance, 79 acceleration and a sprint speed of 80.
On paper, these stats reflect his on-field capabilities quite well and, as evidenced by the stellar season, Benzema can be quite lethal with his playstyle despite not being as fast as, say, Mbappe. Here is a chart comparison between the two 91 rated players:
The Frenchman will still be a formidable opponent to face, considering his high shooting and finishing skills. He has got substantial boosts to his shooting stats. Positioning and finishing have both gotten a two-point upgrade to 92.
Shooting power has also increased by the same amount to 87, while long shots and volleys have also gotten a boost of one and two points, making them 80 and 88 respectively. He also has exceptional heading accuracy at 90.
He also had a respectable number of assists in La Liga, 12 to be exact. This is far above players such as Lewandowski, who had only three in the Bundesliga last season.
Benzema gets a three-point upgrade to his short and long passing stats, which end up being 86 and 73 respectively. He has also snagged some much-needed stamina boost, which is now 82. A four-point increase from his previous stat.
With various new mechanics added to the game, such as power shots and changes to dribbling, it is still unclear as to how the FIFA 23 FUT meta will evolve. If they still favor high paced dribblers with lean physiques, then players might find Benzema lacking in those particular areas.
Nonetheless, his high shooting stats with a 4-star weak foot is not something to scoff at. However, his 4-star skill move rating does mean that he will not be the best at making vital skill moves which have become so important to attackers in FIFA games.
With a picture-perfect start to their season, Real Madrid have yet to drop a match in any competition, and Benzema has already scored four goals in six matches. If he continues to perform like last time, players can expect to find upgraded cards as the season progresses.
