UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin stated Friday that Karim Benzema is "probably the most centre-forward player in the world" and that he was "the most underrated player of all time", in an interview with AFP just before Saturday's Champions League final.

"For sure, it is one of the top players in the world. He is probably the best centre-forward of the world and perhaps the most underrated player of history," the Slovenian manager stated to the Saint-Denis crowd, on the eve the poster between Real Madrid and Liverpool at Saint-Denis (9:00).

Karim Benzema's 15 goals this season @Benzema

Benzema, 34, who is at the top his game with 44 goals in 45 appearances this season for Real is the only one at the top (15 goals) of the 2021-2022 Champions League scoring chart. He is a strong favorite for the Ballon d'Or if he win a fifth European title.

The French international would be equal to the five trophies that his former partner Cristiano Cristiano Ronaldo won, one unit behind Paco Gento (6 titles C1). He could also dispose of the Portuguese of one his records, the number of goals scored during a Champions League season (17 in 2013-2014), which he has held since his time spent at Real's "CR7".

"He was always in shadow of other players. Ceferin was astonished. He scores sometimes, even though he isn't in a position to do so. He exclaimed. On October 17, Paris will present the Ballon d'Or award, a prestigious individual prize that is given to the most outstanding player of the season.