Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Andrew Gastelum

Without a Star Striker, Real Madrid Ventures Into Unfamiliar Territory

Karim Benzema Real Madrid Kylian Mbappé Vinícius Júnior Jude Bellingham La Liga Carlo Ancelotti Robert Lewandowski Zinedine Zidane

For the first time in a long time, Real Madrid has a forward problem.

Usually when it comes to its forward line, Real is forward-thinking, always having the pick of the litter when it comes to the best in the world. And it still does. The current forward line of Vinícius Júnior (23 years old) and Rodrygo (22) is proven, while the future is promising after shelling out €37.5 million ($40.7 million) for 17-year-old Brazilian phenom Endrick.

But none of these players is Karim Benzema, nor are they Kylian Mbappé—at least not yet. Welcome to a rarity in modern soccer: a year of Real Madrid without a star striker.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
A TikToker found mini pumpkin pies at Trader Joe’s after buying one at Starbucks that morning, and asks ‘Why is it the same pie?’
One TikTok shopper spotted a near twin of her Starbucks pie
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
50 Cent Tells Kimmel Diddy Watched His Netflix Doc on iPad in Prison, Jokes 'This Is Not Jail, This Is a Club'
50 Cent joked on Jimmy Kimmel about reports that Diddy watched his Netflix documentary on a modified tablet in prison.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
‘It’s really weird you said skinwalker,’ a New York TikToker says she told her boyfriend after hearing heavy steps near a Virginia cabin
A viral dance video came moments before a 1 AM escape from the woods
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
Along with being easier when signing for NASCAR fans, it was also 'legally a little touchy' with Teresa Earnhardt for a while
Motorsport
Motorsport
In 1956, Tressa Prisbrey turned discarded bottles into a 15-building folk-art village in California
Tressa Prisbrey, at age 60, began building Bottle Village using glass bottles from a local landfill. Over 25 years, she constructed 15 unique structures dedicated to her lost children and their memories. The site eventually became a cultural landmark and received various recognitions for its artistic significance. Visitors paid small…
The Times of India
The Times of India
1.5% Mix Not Universally Optimal: Lab tests split on butt–asphalt blends; researchers warn on ‘best’ dose
Innovative research has found that incorporating cigarette-butt waste into asphalt mixtures could significantly enhance pavement quality. A study showed that a blend with 1.5% cigarette butts achieved optimal deformation resistance, while mixtures containing 2% butts exhibited greater thermal stability. Various methods for safely encapsulating the butts were also explored to…
The Times of India
The Times of India
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play