Karim Benzema has confirmed he has still not received a congratulations on his Ballon d'Or win from former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Benzema won the coveted prize for the first time last month, becoming only the second player aside from Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to do so since 2018. Ronaldo meanwhile finished in 20th after a hit-and-miss year with Manchester United.
Speaking to French outlet Telefoot, Benzema was asked if he had been in contact with ex-Real Madrid team-mate Ronaldo since winning the award. He responded: "No, not yet." Relations between the pair are unclear although there are suggestions they are no longer the pals they once were at the Bernabeu.
The pair formed part of Real's stunning attack that helped the club win four Champions League in five seasons, before the Portuguese left for Juventus in 2018. Benzema credited Ronaldo's exit with helping him win the Ballon d'Or after stepping out of the shadow of his former teammate.
The France striker said: "It was an honour to play with him. The day he left, the ambition to be a better player then entered my head. Since he left, I've been motivated to do more things on the pitch."
The pair were close during their time together in Spain and last year, Jose Mourinho claimed Ronaldo was 'in love' with Benzema during his time as Real boss.
He revealed: "For Cristiano to be in love with another attacking player means he does a lot for Cristiano — and he does a lot for every attacking player that plays around him."
Benzema had a different way of putting it, although he did admit they "got on well" and did enjoy playing together. Speaking in 2017, he said: "I score goals but when there is someone beside me who scores 50 goals a year.
"He is more egotistical than me but that's normal, it doesn't bother me. In the end, it's good for the team."
Ronaldo was full of praise for his teammate during his time in Madrid and did describe him as one of the best strikers in the world after Benzema came in for criticism for his lack of goals in 2014.
He is yet to reach out after Benzema reached the pinnacle of his career last month, although as we have seen with the likes of Gary Neville in recent weeks, Ronaldo is not all that close to some of his ex-teammates.
Both players will be at the World Cup in Qatar with Ronaldo set to miss Manchester United's trip to Fulham on Sunday while Benzema has also been given a rest by Real and sat out the win over Cadiz in midweek.
