For five seasons, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema formed a frightening strikeforce at Real Madrid

They were known as 'BBC' and between them, scored a ridiculous 442 in all competitions. The trio were also key in helping Los Blancos win a lot of silverware.

Four Champions Leagues, two Super Cups, one Copa del Rey and one La Liga title were won between 2013 and 2018. 

All good things come to an end though, and since Ronaldo departed for Juventus last year, things haven't been the same in Madrid. 

Without the Portuguese forward, the Spanish club failed to secure a single trophy last season and put in a number of dreadful performances. 

So, would it be fair to say that Ronaldo was the most important player in the 'BBC' strikeforce, given how much Real have struggled without him? Well, according to Benzema, no. 

The Frenchman has recently claimed that he was the one that made it all work, suggesting that without his influence, his teammates wouldn't have been as successful.

"You had a rocket [Gareth] and a goal scorer [Ronaldo], and then there was me, the piece that made it all work," Benzema told RMC Sport, per AS

"Here, the finisher was Cristiano. I played a different role. I was involved more in the construction of moves and trying to open up spaces.

"For me, he was the best goal-scorer even if he played on the left. I moved away to open up space and let him score." 

It's certainly interesting to hear a little bit about the inner-workings of the 'BBC' trio, especially from one of the players involved. 

But for Benzema to suggest that he was the one that 'made it all work' is perhaps a bit of a push, considering the influence that Ronaldo had on all of his teammates.