Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has won the Ballon d’Or at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, the reward coming after his stunning performances helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and LaLiga last season.
The France international enjoyed a remarkable 2021-22 campaign at Santiago Bernabeu, with a stunning 44-goal haul helping Los Blancos to La Liga and Champions League titles. The 34-year-old found the target on 27 occasions in the Spanish top flight last season and 15 times in European competition.
Benzema has been a revelation for Madrid, helping to fill the void created by Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018 while also taking on captaincy duties following Sergio Ramos’ move to Paris Saint-Germain. He has now been recognised as the world’s best by his peers, with competition from the likes of Mohamed Salah, Robert Lewandowski, Sadio Mane, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland seen off to land the prestigious Golden Ball.
