“Age is just a number,” says Karim Benzema after successful the Ballon d’Or at 34. Benzema turned the oldest winner for the reason that first recipient, Stanley Matthews, in 1956.
“People play until their later years and I still have this burning desire. It is this drive that has driven me forward and never allowed me to give up,” stated Benzema, who received the lads’s Ballon d’Or for the primary time .
Karim Benzema is the 2022 Ballon d’Or!@benjema@actual madrid#Ballon d’Or pic.twitter.com/fDHTdtHtai
— Ballon d’Or #ballondor (@francefootball) 17 October 2022
Benzema is the primary French participant to win the trophy since Zinedine Zidane in 1998 and fifth behind Raymond Coppa, Michel Platini and Jean-Pierre Papin.
Being the highest scorer in each La Liga and the Champions League, Benzema had the very best season ever in Madrid. He scored 44 occasions for Madrid, together with 15 in Europe’s high competitors, and equals Ral González because the membership’s second-highest scorer behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
see you subsequent 12 months#Ballon d’Or pic.twitter.com/Na5cKZAG8C
— Ballon d’Or #ballondor (@francefootball) 17 October 2022
Benzema took the victory forward of Sadio Mane and Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. Mane performed for Liverpool final season and joined Bayern Munich in the summertime.
Benzema was not a part of the France squad that received the 2018 World Cup in Russia, however barring an harm, will participate within the event in Qatar subsequent month.
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retrieve the origin #Ballon d’Or @benjema Collection with photos, anecdotes and testimonies of those that accompany them
Completely @OLPLAY_Official I https://t.co/SQIPuyD5GI#medinol pic.twitter.com/huFqQmV09c
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) 17 October 2022
Nearly six years after his involvement within the intercourse tape scandal, Benzema was recalled by France coach Didier Deschamps forward of the European Championship final 12 months and has been enjoying frequently since then.
“There were even more difficult moments for me, when I wasn’t picked (with France) and I didn’t give up,” Benzema stated after his former coach Zidane handed him the trophy in Madrid. “I’m really proud of my career. It’s people’s golden ball.”
Back-to-back Ballon d’Or for Alexia Putellas
Spain and Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putelas received the ladies’s trophy for the second 12 months in a row after one other standout season with Barcelona.
Putelas, who was additionally named FIFA finest feminine participant earlier this 12 months, was the highest scorer within the Champions League final season with 11 targets and 18 within the Primera División.
Alexia! I #Ballon d’Or pic.twitter.com/f1GUvKcqyg
— Ballon d’Or #ballondor (@francefootball) 17 October 2022
The 28-year-old, nonetheless, missed the Euros for Spain after struggling an anterior cruciate ligament harm on the eve of the event in England.
Other Awards
Among different awards, the Copa trophy for finest under-21 participant went to 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder Gavi, whereas Robert Lewandowski received the Gerd Müller Award for striker of the 12 months.
Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois received the Lev Yashin award for finest goalkeeper.
Ballon d’Or organizers added a humanitarian award within the identify of late Brazilian midfielder Socrates. The trophy went to Mane for his charitable work in Senegal, together with hospital and faculty donations.
The award for finest membership went to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who received their fourth Premier League title in 5 years.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
