Christian Benteke speaks about his time at the MLS and the plans he has for himself in the immediate future.
Christian Benteke still finds inspiration to continue despite him playing for some big clubs in his prime.
It is frustrating that Messi, a former striker for Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Crystal Palace, will be watching as DC United’s season ends and he begins an MLS play-off campaign with Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami.
Despite Benteke’s 23 goals—three more than Messi, Luis Suarez, a teammate from Inter Miami, and Denis Bouanga of LAFC—DC United’s dismal 10th-place Eastern Conference result prevented them from advancing past the regular season.
The striker is focused, though. He is committed to being in top form when the 2025 campaign rolls around in February, and he has committed to stay at DC for another year.
“Messi and Ronaldo are four or five years older than me and they still play, so who are we not to push ourselves?,” he told BBC Sport.
“It’s not luck. It’s hard work. They look after their bodies, which is something we can all do. We might not have their qualities or everything they have but as a high-elite athlete, we can all look after our bodies.”
Benteke believes that he is entering a new stage of his career.
This explains why, despite DC United’s generally bad play, he had no regrets about staying on after joining the team halfway through the 2022 campaign under Wayne Rooney’s leadership.
Benteke no longer has the same need for attention. He is content to lead a “normal” life away from the field. He welcomes the relative anonymity of Washington.
“When you are younger you want people to stop you in the street,” he said. “You want to have your picture taken. Or to sign autographs because you feel you are ‘that guy’, who is playing for a Premier League team. The most popular league in the world. This is something you want.
“But when you get older, you know it is your job and it’s what you have to do. To score goals and win games.
“In the US you can train and as soon as your session is done. You can have a normal life, walking to the park, going to the mall. Meet up without having to hide or feeling uncomfortable, just to be a normal guy.
“This year will be my second Christmas. To be around my family and your kids is something you appreciate. When you play at the highest level, for a Premier League team, sometimes you can have Christmas morning at home but then you have to go.”
Benteke still keeps across events in Europe and is delighted at how Villa have performed in this season’s Champions League.
“A huge club,” the striker calls them. “With Liverpool it is more expected but Villa was my first team in England. The love is different. They haven’t been in the Champions League for a while so to see them playing well at Villa Park on a Tuesday or Wednesday is something nice.”