Real Madrid captain, Karim Benzema, has revealed that "the ambition to be more entered my head" after Cristiano Ronaldo left the club.
Ronaldo moved to Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 for a then-world record fee of £80million.
However, the 37-year-old left for Juventus in 2018.
Since then, Benzema emerged as Madrid's talismanic figure.
The 34-year-old was on Monday, named the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner.
It came after a campaign where Benzema scored 44 goals for the champions of LaLiga and Champions League.
Benzema, speaking about Ronaldo, told Onda Cero:
"It was an honour to play with him, he's a beast.
"The day he left, the ambition to be more entered my head."
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