Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema was on Monday awarded the 2022 Ballon d’Or at the ceremony in Paris.
The awarded which in awarded to a player with the topmost performance had Benzema’s name on it after an incredible performance and guiding his team to win the Champions League and LaLiga.
The France striker scored a career-best 27 times in the domestic league and was top scorer in the Champions League with 15 goals, including hat tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
Benzema, 34 finished ahead of Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane and Manchester’s City Kelvin de Brune who second and third respectively.
“I’m really proud seeing this prize, it’s been my dream since I was a kid. I grew up with this in my head, and after that I had the motivation,” Benzema said.
“I had two role models in my life: Zizou [Zinedine Zidane] and [Brazil legend] Ronaldo. It’s a lot of work; I never gave up and I kept that dream in my head. Anything is possible.
“It’s been difficult for me. There was a time when I wasn’t playing for the national team, but I didn’t give up. It’s been difficult for me and that just makes me stronger mentally. I’m really happy with my work.”
Benzema picked up the prize — which is awarded by the magazine France Football — for the first time in his career at a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
