Karim Benzema has won the Ballon d’Or for the first time, having enjoyed a career best year at Real Madrid in 2022.
The French forward was in inspired form throughout the 2021/22 season, leading Los Blancos to both domestic and continental glory.
Benzema bagged 44 goals and 15 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions for Madrid in, averaging a goal contribution every 66.4 minutes as the club won La Liga and yet another UEFA Champions League trophy.
His form in the Champions League, in particular, is what has made him a worthy winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2022. The 34-year-old scored 15 goals in that competition alone, with 10 of those coming in the knockout rounds alone.
Highlights of that Champions League campaign for Benzema included his remarkable hat-trick against PSG to earn his side a miraculous comeback win, and a few key goals against Manchester City in the semi final.
Benzema has become the first French player to win the Ballon d’Or since Zinedine Zidane way back in 1998 and the fifth French winner overall – joining Zidane, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin and Raymond Kopa as winners.
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