Real Madrid's list of all-time top scorers reads like a legends' hall of fame for the 13-time European champions, but there is one name that stands out: Karim Benzema.
After Cristiano Ronaldo (450 goals), Raul (323), Alfredo Di Stefano (308), Santillana (290) and Ferenc Puskas (242) comes the French forward, already ahead of illustrious names like Hugo Sanchez, Paco Gento, Pirri and Emilio Butragueno.
Benzema has 233 goals in 480 games for Real Madrid and, if he stays for a few more seasons, could find himself in the top three, perhaps even second behind his former team-mate Cristiano. And for a player constantly criticised for supposedly not scoring enough, that would be quite an achievement.
It would also be fitting because for nine seasons alongside Ronaldo, the Frenchman operated in the role of creator for the prolific Portuguese, dropping deep, drawing defenders, stretching spaces and playing passes to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
He was the team's centre-forward, but scoring seemed almost secondary for almost a decade.
Not any more, though. Since Ronaldo left last year to join Juventus, Benzema has needed to be more prolific. And he has been.
The Frenchman netted 30 goals for Los Blancos in 2018-19 and has hit 11 from his 15 appearances already this term.
That means he has 41 goals in total since Ronaldo's departure.
At Juventus, the Portuguese has hit 34 in that same time period, and although Benzema has played more matches (68 to Cristiano's 57), he is also not the main penalty taker at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Benzema rarely took penalties in his first nine seasons at Madrid, because that was Ronaldo's job. And now, skipper Sergio Ramos is the first-choice taker.
If Real receive more than one penalty in a game, the Frenchman usually steps up. Or if his captain is off the pitch.
That makes his goal tally even more impressive and even though he is the club's No.9, his contribution is far greater than only scoring. He also has five assists this term, including two in the recent 5-0 win at home to Leganes.
Those set up the first two goals of the night, while his strike at Celta Vigo in August was the club's first of the season and he also netted the opener at home against Valladolid a week later. He has a knack of making things happen and while he rarely hits hat-tricks, his goals tend to be important.
“Every game, I want to give more and do special things: score goals, give assists, a bit of everything,” Benzema said after a memorable performance away to Espanyol in La Liga last season.
“People call for strikers to score goals, but I believe I’m a No.9 with the spirit of a No.10.”
Benzema is no longer part of the France setup and his club coach, Zinedine Zidane, cannot understand that.
"He's always wanted to play for the French side," Zidane said earlier this month. "To be honest, I don't know exactly what's going on.
"But from a football point of view, he's the best. I think he should definitely have a place in the French national team. It's beyond my role here, but he should definitely be called up."
France's loss is Madrid's gain and at the age of 31, Benzema is playing perhaps the finest football of his career.
At the Bernabeu, it seems he is finally appreciated as he should be and as a four-time Champions League winner already, he will go down as one of this club's great legends - however many he scores in the seasons ahead.
