{"id":51538,"date":"2022-10-18T06:58:48","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T06:58:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinegh.com\/?p=51538"},"modified":"2022-10-18T06:58:54","modified_gmt":"2022-10-18T06:58:54","slug":"real-madrid-striker-karim-benzema-wins-2022-ballon-dor-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinetv.com\/?p=51538","title":{"rendered":"Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema wins 2022 Ballon d\u2019Or\u00a0award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Frenchman becomes only the second player aside from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award since 2008. Benzema\u2019s Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric won the prize in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadio Mane, who moved from Liverpool to Bayern Munich last summer, came second while Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne finished in third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert Lewandowski, who was widely tipped to be one of the frontrunners for the prize, took fourth in the vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis prize in front of me makes me really proud. All the work I did, I never gave up, it was a childhood dream,\u201d Benzema said on stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had the motivation and had two role models in my life. [Zinedine] Zidane and Ronaldo as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always have this dream in my mind. Anything is possible. There was a period where I wasn\u2019t in the French team, but I never stopped working hard, I never gave up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m really proud of my journey. It wasn\u2019t easy, it was difficult, and hard for my family as well. To be here today, a first time for me, I\u2019m pleased with my work and I\u2019ll keep going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to thank my team-mates at Real Madrid and the national team. My coach [Carlo Ancelotti], the president [Florentino Perez], and the Lyon president [Jean-Michel Aulas] too. There\u2019s a lot of people to thank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis Ballon d\u2019Or is an individual prize but it\u2019s also a collective one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s Ballon d\u2019Or was awarded for performance in the 2021-22 season, rather than the calendar year. Last season, Benzema was in scintillating form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Real Madrid striker scored 44 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions in a season where Carlo Ancelotti\u2019s side won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His performances in the Champions League drew huge acclaim. He scored hat-tricks in the last-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain and in the quarter-final first leg against Chelsea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He scored again in the decisive second leg against the London club before striking again in both the semi-final first and second legs against Manchester City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Real Madrid\u2019s 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final in Paris, BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand said: \u201cI think the argument is over for the Ballon d\u2019Or.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf Karim Benzema does not get his hands on the Ballon d\u2019Or then it will be a travesty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The closest Benzema came to winning the Ballon d\u2019Or before 2022 was last year when he finished fourth in the voting. He received 239 points which was 374 behind winner Messi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo finished in 20th this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022 BALLON D\u2019OR RANKINGS<\/p>\n\n\n\n