FC Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas receives the second woman’s Ballon d’Or during the 2022 French Ballon d’Or awards ceremony at the Theater du Chatelet in Paris on October 17, 2022. (FRANCK FIFE photo. / AFP)
PARIS-Real Madrid’s French striker Karim Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or award for the best male player in the world on Monday, while Barcelona’s Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas for the fifth time. Two won women’s awards.
Benzema, who played a key role in Real’s journey to the Champions League last season, is the first French player to win the title since Zinedine Zidane in 1998 and the fifth after Raymond Kopa and Michel Platini. and Jean-Pierre Papin.
“This immediate award makes me really proud. When I was little, 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 was not in the France team but I never gave up. I’m really proud of my journey here. It was not easy, it was a difficult time for my family. “
Soccer Football – 2022 Ballon d’Or – Chatelet Theater, Paris, France – October 17, 2022 Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema after winning the REUTERS / Benoit Tessier Ballon d’Or
Benzema beat Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, Senegal’s Sadio Mane 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 they helped them win the La Liga and Champions League double. His 15 goals in the Champions League helped Real win a record-long 14th title.
Real have made a remarkable comeback after losing places in the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals to Paris St Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City respectively – with Benzema scoring in each second leg.
The highlight of their European campaign was a 3-1 second-leg win over PSG as the Spanish club went 2-0 down, with Benzema scoring a 17-minute hat-trick in the second half to do so. stunned the Ligue 1 team. .
Putellas wins again
Spain international Putellas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the second year in a row, beating England’s European Championship champions Beth Mead and Australia’s Sam Kerr.
Putellas, who was also named FIFA Women’s Player of the Year earlier this year, was last season’s Champions League top scorer with 11 goals and scored 18 in the Primera Division.
However, the 28-year-old missed the Euros for Spain after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament on the eve of the tournament in England.
Real’s Thibaut Courtois won the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper last season, with the long-range strike making nine saves in the final to keep a clean sheet against Liverpool in a 1-0 win in Paris. .
However, the teams in the Champions League final failed to win the Best Club award, which went to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who have won their fourth Premier League title in five years.
Barca’s 18-year-old midfielder Gavi won the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player, while Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane won his first Socrates award, and the Senegal international was recognized for his efforts. his humanitarian force.
Lewandowski also did not have to go away empty-handed as he won the Gerd Muller Trophy for best striker after scoring 50 goals in all competitions for Bayern last season.
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