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Karim Benzema Favourite to Win Ballon d'Or Ahead of Kylian Mbappe, Mo Salah & Robert Lewandowski
Karim Benzema Favourite to Win Ballon d'Or Ahead of Kylian Mbappe, Mo Salah & Robert Lewandowski
Sputnik International
It has been a season to remember for Karim Benzema. Having scored 41 goals for Carlo Ancelotti's side across competitions this term, the Frenchman has already... 28.04.2022, Sputnik International
2022-04-28T12:38+0000
2022-04-28T12:38+0000
2022-12-10T11:44+0000
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After Karim Benzema moved to Real Madrid from Lyon in 2009, he had to stay in the shadow of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo for a decade, playing second fiddle to the Portuguese at the Santiago Bernabeu.However, 13 years after his arrival in Spain, he's now the overwhelming favourite to claim the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, if reports from France are to be believed. Remarkably it was Real president Florentino Perez who had reposed his faith in the France international, declaring that he was a "special" player before predicting that he would become the best footballer on the planet in the future. Benzema seemed to have made his prediction come true.Overall, the Lyon-born footballer has hit the net 320 times in 600 matches and has lifted 20 titles, including a historic hat-trick of Champions League trophies from 2016 to 2018 with the Madrid-based club.According to French newspaper L'Equipe, Benzema is ahead of everyone else in the Ballon d'Or race, with Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, Kevin De Bruyne and Robert Lewandowski being the other leading contenders for the biggest individual honour in football.L'Equipe is a major stakeholder in the Ballon d'Or because it is awarded by France Football, a news magazine, which comes under the umbrella of the media group that owns the paper as well.Moreover, Benzema has been tipped to claim the prize by the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo Nazario and Mesut Ozil who have all labelled him as the world's best striker in recent days.The reason why there is such widespread support for Benzema is the sheer numbers he has put up this season.The 34-year-old is the top scorer in the La Liga with 25 strikes in 29 appearances and is the main factor behind Real's unassailable 15-point lead at the top of the Spanish top flight.In Europe's premier club competition, he has registered 14 goals and currently shares the numero uno spot with Lewandowski.But unlike the Pole whose side Bayern Munich has been eliminated from the competition, Benzema would have opportunities to overhaul his figures with his first chance coming next week against Man City when Pep Guardiola's men would land in Madrid for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.If all these numbers were not enough to dub him the favourite, Benzema has a few other records to boast of too.Earlier this month, the ex-Lyon striker became just the second man ever in the history of the Champions League to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the knockout stages of the tournament, having produced a triple each against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea.In March, he broke Thierry Henry's long-standing record to emerge as the leading French scorer. The Arsenal legend retired with 411 goals during his 18-year career from 1994 to 2012.Meanwhile, Benzema has now stretched his tally to 422, having scored 320 goals for Real, 66 for Lyon and 36 for the French national team.Coming back to the Ballon d'Or, this year's award will witness some major changes.Previously it was awarded to the sport's best performer in a calendar year. That is set to change with the 2022 edition as now it will be given to the season's best player.Unlike in the previous years when journalists, national coaches and captains from the top 170 countries in the FIFA rankings voted, voting has been restricted to the top-100 in 2022 and beyond.
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Karim Benzema Favourite to Win Ballon d'Or Ahead of Kylian Mbappe, Mo Salah & Robert Lewandowski
12:38 GMT 28.04.2022 (Updated: 11:44 GMT 10.12.2022) It has been a season to remember for Karim Benzema. Having scored 41 goals for Carlo Ancelotti's side across competitions this term, the Frenchman has already powered Real Madrid to the Spanish Cup title and is on course to help them lift the La Liga and Champions League crowns as well.
After Karim Benzema moved to Real Madrid from Lyon in 2009, he had to stay in the shadow of the legendary
Cristiano Ronaldo for a decade, playing second fiddle to the Portuguese at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, 13 years after his arrival in Spain, he's now the overwhelming favourite to claim the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, if reports from France are to be believed.
Remarkably it was Real president Florentino Perez who had reposed his faith in the France international, declaring that he was a "special" player before predicting that he would become the best footballer on the planet in the future.
Benzema seemed to have made his prediction come true.
Overall, the Lyon-born footballer has hit the net 320 times in 600 matches and has lifted 20 titles, including a historic hat-trick of Champions League trophies from 2016 to 2018 with the Madrid-based club.
According to French newspaper L'Equipe, Benzema is ahead of everyone else in the Ballon d'Or race, with
Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, Kevin De Bruyne and Robert Lewandowski being the other leading contenders for the biggest individual honour in football.
L'Equipe is a major stakeholder in the Ballon d'Or because it is awarded by France Football, a news magazine, which comes under the umbrella of the media group that owns the paper as well.
Moreover, Benzema has been tipped to claim the prize by the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo Nazario and Mesut Ozil who have all labelled him as the world's best striker in recent days.
The reason why there is such widespread support for Benzema is the sheer numbers he has put up this season.
The 34-year-old is the top scorer in the La Liga with 25 strikes in 29 appearances and is the main factor behind Real's unassailable 15-point lead at the top of the Spanish top flight.
In Europe's premier club competition, he has registered 14 goals and currently shares the numero uno spot with Lewandowski.
But unlike the Pole whose side Bayern Munich has been eliminated from the competition, Benzema would have opportunities to overhaul his figures with his first chance coming next week against Man City when Pep Guardiola's men would land in Madrid for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
If all these numbers were not enough to dub him the favourite, Benzema has a few other records to boast of too.
Earlier this month, the ex-Lyon striker became just the second man ever in the history of the Champions League to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the knockout stages of the tournament, having produced a triple each against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea.
In March, he broke Thierry Henry's long-standing record to emerge as the leading French scorer. The Arsenal legend retired with 411 goals during his 18-year career from 1994 to 2012.
Meanwhile, Benzema has now stretched his tally to 422, having scored 320 goals for Real, 66 for Lyon and 36 for the French national team.
Coming back to the Ballon d'Or, this year's award will witness some major changes.
Previously it was awarded to the sport's best performer in a calendar year. That is set to change with the 2022 edition as now it will be given to the season's best player.
Unlike in the previous years when journalists, national coaches and captains from the top 170 countries in the FIFA rankings voted, voting has been restricted to the top-100 in 2022 and beyond.
