Karim Benzema wins Ballon d’Or 2022
Real Madrid star striker Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or 2022 award at the Theater du Châtelet in Paris on Tuesday. After winning La Liga and Champions League with Real Madrid last season, Benzema was everyone’s favorite football player to win the award this year. He is the 5th French player to receive this award. Before him in 1998, the great French footballer Zinedine Zidane had won this award in his name. Apart from this, Bezenma became the oldest Ballon d’Or winner since England legend Sir Stanley Mathews in 1956. Mathews won this award at the age of 41. At the same time, Bezenma’s age is 34 years.
Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 matches for Real Madrid last season. This included 27 goals in La Liga. Bezenma had an amazing performance in the Champions League where he scored 15 goals in 12 matches.
Bezenma said, “For me age is just a number. Players now play longer and I still have the will to play. I never gave up because of this will power.”
For the first time, the Ballon d’Or award was given on the basis of the achievements of the previous season. Earlier this award was given on the basis of performance in the calendar year. This award is given by the French football magazine France Football. In the male category, this award is being given for 66 years. The women’s trophy started in 2018 but was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Alexia Putellas, on the other hand, scored 42 goals in the last season while helping in 22 goals. She is the first female player to win this award for the second time. Alexia won the Spanish league title last season with Barcelona while his team reached the final of the Champions League. She has been away from football since July due to a knee injury on her left leg.
