Karim Benzema has not only walked out of Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow in Real Madrid, but has also grabbed the attention and turned it on himself.

The striker, who is 34 years old, is just getting better as he grows older, and on Wednesday night, he single-handedly pushed Chelsea, the Champions League holders, on the verge of elimination from the competition.

Real Madrid won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first-leg tie, with Benzema scoring a hat-trick, his second in as many outings in Europe.

His recent strike pushed him to 11 goals in the Champions League this season, second only to Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski (12).

Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United and England defender, said, “This is the business end and he is still scoring goals. He has propelled his side to the summit of the league. They’re in the air, and he’s the talisman.

“Benzema had the humility to remain in the background when Cristiano Ronaldo was there because he understood what it meant to the squad, but now he has emerged from the shadows”, he added.

Can he grab the Ballon d’OR?

The data speaks for itself.

Only Alfredo di Stefano (five), Ferenc Puskas (five), and Ronaldo (seven) have scored more hat-tricks for Real Madrid in European competitions than Benzema (four).

This season, he has 11 goals in the Champions League in just eight games, while he has 37 goals in 36 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions.

Last year, Benzema placed fourth in the Ballon d’Or voting, behind Jorginho, Lewandowski, and Lionel Messi, but his current form will undoubtedly put him among the early frontrunners for the prize, which will be presented in October.

Joe Cole, a former Chelsea midfielder, commented that “he is becoming better with age.”

“As things stand right now in the Ballon d’Or race, he has won it by a few furlongs,” he continued. “He is an exceptional footballer.”

“It is unbelievable that at this level of his career, he has gone: ‘I am in control of the orchestra now, everything goes through me.”