France's Benzema aims high for the future

By Edward Jay

LYON, France (Reuters) - Promising young France striker Karim Benzema has proved a revelation in 2007 and is confident his talent will take him higher still.

"I know where I want to go and that's very, very high, right to the top," the Olympique Lyon forward, who turns 20 on Wednesday, told Reuters in an interview.

Lyon-born Benzema was 17 when he made his Ligue 1 debut in a game at Metz and his first touch of the ball in that match set up a goal.

He scored his first goal in the Champions League against Rosenborg in December 2005. Then, in March this year, he made his France debut, hitting the winner in a 1-0 victory over Austria nine minutes after coming on.

Benzema , who grew up admiring Ronaldo and is not unlike the Brazil striker with a deadly mix of power and skill, is now an automatic choice both for Olympique Lyon coach Alain Perrin and France's Raymond Domenech.

Ligue 1's top scorer with 12 goals, he showed his class again last week when he scored two and set up the other in a 3-0 win at Rangers that took Lyon through to the last 16 of the Champions League.

"I have not changed but things around me have," he said. "I feel that a lot is expected from me. It puts pressure on me but I like that."

'HARD WORK'