France and Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema, has been awarded the 2022 Ballon d’Or on Monday night in Paris after a stunning year.
His emergence as this year’s winner of the award put an end to the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, becoming just the second time a player other than Ronaldo or Messi to have won the award since 2007, with Luka Modric landing the prize in 2018.
Benzema finished the 2021-22 season with an incredible 44 goals in 46 games to help Real Madrid win both La Liga and the Champions League.
The 34-year-old striker had already enjoyed a brilliant career in the Spanish capital winning every trophy possible and scoring an average of 23 goals per season across his twelve seasons there.
But last season he almost doubled that tally and was his side’s inspiration as they won their first Champions League since Ronaldo’s departure in 2018.
Benzema scored 27 league goals to fire Real Madrid to last season’s title. He also netted 15 times in Europe as Real made it a double with glory in the Champions League.
