Real Madrid’s France forward Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or award for the best men’s player in the world on Monday.

Benzema, who played a pivotal role in Real’s run to the Champions League title last season, is the first French player to win the trophy since Zinedine Zidane in 1998 and the fifth after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini and Jean-Pierre Papin.

“This prize in front of me makes me really proud. When I was small, it was a childhood dream, I never gave up… Anything is possible,” Benzema said on stage at the ceremony.

“There was a difficult period when I wasn’t in the French team but I never gave up. I’m really proud of my journey here.

“It wasn’t easy, it was a difficult time for my family as well.”

Benzema beat Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne after Argentina’s Lionel Messi won the award for a record seventh time last year.

Benzema had a stellar season with Real, scoring 44 goals in 46 games in all competitions as he helped guide them to a LaLiga and Champions League double.

READ ALSO: Benzema wins his first Ballon d’Or after stunning 44-goal season

His 15 goals in the Champions League guided Real Madrid to a record-extending 14th title.

Real Madrid made remarkable comebacks from losing positions in the last-16, quarter-finals and semi-finals against Paris St Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City respectively — with Benzema scoring in each of the second legs.

The highlight of their European campaign was the 3-1 win in the second leg against PSG when the Spanish club were 2-0 down on aggregate, with Benzema grabbing a 17-minute hat-trick in the second half to stun the Ligue 1 side.

Meanwhile, Spanish international and FC Barcelona’s midfielder Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a second straight year, beating England’s European Championship winner Beth Mead and Australia’s Sam Kerr.

Putellas, who was also named FIFA Best Women’s Player earlier this year, was top scorer in the Champions League last season with 11 goals and scored 18 in the Primera Division.

The 28-year-old missed the Euros for Spain, however, after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the eve of the tournament in England.

Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois won the Lev Yashin award for the best goalkeeper last season, with the towering shot stopper making nine saves in the final to keep a clean sheet against Liverpool in a 1-0 victory in Paris.

However, the teams in the Champions League final lost out on the Best Club award, which went to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City who won a fourth Premier League title in five years.

FC Barcelona’s 18-year-old midfielder Gavi picked up the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player, while Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane won the inaugural Socrates award, with the Senegal international recognised for his humanitarian efforts.

Lewandowski did not go home empty handed either as he picked up the Gerd Muller Trophy for the best striker after scoring 50 goals in all competitions for Bayern last season.

Source: NAN

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Real Madrid captain Benzema was a strong favourite for the top award on Monday after inspiring the Spanish giants to a LaLiga and UEFA Champions League double last term.

Ahead of a November to December FIFA World Cup, a change in the format saw the Ballon d’Or awarded based on performances over a regular season for the first time.

It rather used to be over the calendar year.

France international Benzema would have been a leading candidate in either case.

REAL MADRID: Benzema to miss Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey clash with Athletic Bilbao

But he was the clear winner after scoring 44 goals in 46 matches and earning a fifth European crown in the 2021/2022 campaign.

Although his haul was topped by Robert Lewandowski (50) —- then of Bayern Munich and now of FC Barcelona —- 10 of Benzema’s goals came in the Champions League knockout stages.

He tied a Cristiano Ronaldo single-season record.

Vinicius Junior netted the decisive strike in the final against Liverpool.

But Benzema had already established himself as the world’s best with hat-tricks against both Paris Saint-Germain, PSG, and Chelsea.

Adding 15 assists, Benzema’s total of 59 goal involvements last season fell just shy of Kylian Mbappe’s Europe-wide high of 60 (39 goals, 21 assists).

Benzema had been nominated for the Ballon d’Or on 10 previous occasions but only cracked the top 10 for the first time in 2021.

He finished fourth as Lionel Messi – not nominated this year – claimed a seventh award.

Source: dpa/NAN

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The France international’s fitness has been a source of concern since he hobbled off in the second half of Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw with Elche in LaLiga on January 23.

During his pre-match news conference, Carlo Ancelotti was hopeful Benzema would be fit for the trip to San Mames.

He has been in sensational form this season with 24 goals in 28 games in all competitions.

But Ancelotti insisted no risks would be taken.

Benzema’s name was not in the 22-man squad for the match against Athletic Bilbao which was released later on Wednesday.

This prompted concerns about his fitness for the UEFA Champions League last-16 meeting with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in less than two weeks.

Mariano Diaz and Ferland Mendy also miss out through injury, while Marcelo is ineligible due to suspension.

However, Marco Asensio could make his return from a hamstring injury sustained in the Supercopa de Espana success against FC Barcelona.

Source: dpa/NAN

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