Jean-François Pérès, edited by Juliette Moreau Alvarez
modified to
8:47 a.m., October 17, 2022
A real Benzemania. The striker of the French team Karim Benzema is in pole position to win the ultimate award for footballers: the Ballon d’Or 2022. Favorite of this 2022 edition, he is unanimous among his peers. He could be just the fifth Frenchman to lift the trophy.
It is the highest award for a footballer. We will know Monday evening who is crowned Ballon d’Or 2022. The big favorite of this edition is a Frenchman: Karim Benzema. The striker of the France team and Real Madrid seems to be unanimous among his peers and supporters. We can even talk about Benzemania.
“Karim deserves it”
Everyone sees the Madrilenian crowned in Paris, including his most serious competitors, like the Senegalese Sadio Mané: “Honestly this year, I think Karim deserves it. He had a great season with Real. I’m very happy for him !” It is true that Benzema has managed a stratospheric 2022 so far. He won La Liga and the Champions League with Real, each time with the title of top scorer. All at almost 35 years old.
What force the admiration of the new coach of Lyon, the city of birth of Benzema. “Years ago, I heard people say ‘He’s not a goalscorer, he doesn’t score enough'”, says Laurent Blanc. “These people didn’t understand anything. He’s a player who has everything.”
“He’s a great player”
If Karim Benzema is crowned Monday evening in Paris, he will become the fifth French Ballon d’Or only after Kopa, Platini, Papin and Zidane, the last to date 24 years ago. For coach Didier Deschamps, there is no debate: “He deserves it, he’s a great player. And great players are decisive in big games.”
After this probable Ballon d’Or, remains the ultimate quest with Deschamps and the Blues: the World Cup. Benzema never raised it. Next appointment with history, therefore, on Sunday, December 18, in Qatar.