Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema has been awarded the 2022 Ballon d’Or, the prize for the best footballer of the season, for the first time in his career in a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on Monday night.
The attacker scored 44 goals in 46 games to help Los Blancos win both La Liga and the Champions League in 2021-22.
In picking up football's top individual honour, Benzema became the first player since his Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric in 2018 to win the award instead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who had won 12 of the previous 13 combined.
Benzema also became the first Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or since his former manager and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane, who handed his compatriot his well-earned Golden Ball.
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"This prize in front of me makes me really proud," said Benzema. "When I was small, it was a childhood dream, I never gave up. Anything is possible.
"I'm really proud of my journey here. It wasn't easy, it was a difficult time for my family as well."
The Frenchman was joined by Bayern Munich forward and ex-Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, who finished second and third respectively. Mane, however, was the inaugural Socrates Award winner - a prize that is awarded to a player for their efforts in tackling social issues.
Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas retained the Ballon d’Or Feminin award, having collected the honour in 2021. Arsenal and England star Beth Mead came second while Chelsea’s Sam Kerr was third.
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In the Kopa Trophy, it was Barcelona who boasted the best youngster with Gavi picking up the award, following his team-mate Pedri who won it in 2021. Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga finished second with Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala in third. Just missing out on the top three was Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham who came fourth, four places ahead of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka in eighth.
In the other awards of the evening, Polish striker Robert Lewandowski collected the Gerd Muller Trophy for the second year in a row, the award for the best striker over the past season. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was the recipient of the Yashin Trophy which recognises the best goalkeeper of the year.
Manchester City were named as the Club of the Year as Pep Guardiola’s team picked up their sixth Premier League title in 2021-22 with 93 points, while the women’s side were able to finish third in the Women’s Super League after a slow start. They also won last term’s women’s League Cup and reached the women's FA Cup final.
