Karim Benzema crowned 2022 Ballon d’Or winner

Karim Benzema was on Monday named Ballon d’Or winner for 2022, with the Real Madrid striker enjoying an incredible calendar year.

The Real Madrid forward won the voting after a season when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were nowhere in sight. Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas repeated as the women’s winner.

The France international enjoyed a remarkable 2021-22 campaign at Santiago Bernabeu, with a stunning 44-goal haul helping Los Blancos to La Liga and Champions League titles.

The 34-year-old found the target on 27 occasions in the Spanish top flight last season and 15 times in European competition.

Benzema has been a revelation for Madrid, helping to fill the void created by Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018 while also taking on captaincy duties following Sergio Ramos’ move to Paris Saint-Germain.

He has now been recognised as the world’s best by his peers, with competition from the likes of Mohamed Salah, Robert Lewandowski, Sadio Mane, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland seen off to land the prestigious Golden Ball.

Benzema, for months regarded as the overwhelming favourite to win the 2022 edition of the award given to the world’s best soccer player, collected his prize on Monday at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Sadio Mané, who led Senegal to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations, finished second, with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne third.

Benzema had described winning his “dream since childhood”.