Real Madrid and French football star, Karim Benzema has won the 2022 men’s Ballon d’Or for the first time.
The 34-year-old scored 44 goals in 46 matches last season for Real Madrid. The Spanish giant also won LaLiga and the Champions League and and European Super Cup.
Senegal and Bayern Munich star, Sadio Mane finished in second place while Kevin De Bruyne was third while Barcelona midfielder, Gavi was clinched the Kopa Trophy as the best young player of the year.
Benzema was crowned in a ceremony in Paris ahead of Sadio Mane in second and Kevin De Bruyne in third – with the striker becoming the first French winner of the Ballon D’Or since Zinedine Zidane – who presented him the award – in 1998.
The striker is also the oldest Ballon D’Or winner since Stanley Matthews won the first edition of the prize in 1956.
In reaction to the development, Benzema said, ”It makes me really proud,” “All the work I did, I never gave up. It was a childhood dream like all kids [have]. I had two motivations in my life – Zidane and Ronaldo.
