Karim Benzema Wins the Prestigious Ballon D'Or Award

Karim Benzema has won the Ballon d'Or 2022.

He is regarded as one of the best strikers of all time. Benzema ranks as Real Madrid's all-time second-highest goalscorer and top assist provider.

Benzema played a key role in the 21/22 season, helping Real Madrid win LaLiga Santander, the Supercopa de Espana and the Champions League with his 44 goals and 15 assists. 

The Ballon d'Or is voted for by 100 journalists from around the world.  

Here is the top 10 ranking of the Ballon D'Or:

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the award in recent years, apart from in 2018 when Croatian midfielder Luka Modric won it. 

Benzema is the first frenchman to win the prize since 1998 since Zinedine Zidane in 1998. Zidane was at the event to present his countryman with the prize.

The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in world football. It is awarded to the best footballer of the year, based on performance over the 2021-22 season. 

Here are the main winners in the Ballon d'Or ceremony:

• Ballon d'Or - Karim Benzema

• Women's Ballon d'Or - Alexia Putellas

• Kopa Trophy - Gavi

• Club of the Year - Manchester City

• Socrates Award - Sadio Mane

• Gerd Muller Trophy - Robert Lewandowski

• Yashin Trophy - Thibaut Courtois

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibault Courtois won the Yashin Trophy.  Courtois was Real Madrid's hero in the Champions League final against Liverpool, as well as making countless important saves en route to winning LaLiga Santander last season. His exploits have justifiably earned him the award for the best goalkeeper, the Yashin Trophy.

The inaugural Socrates Award, a humanitarian prize, went to Mane for his charity work.

Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski won the Gerd Muller Trophy awarded to the best striker after scoring 57 goals for Bayern Munich and Poland in 2021-22. 

Karim Benzema, the 34-year-old striker, who has been at Real Madrid since 2009, is expected to play a key role for France at the World Cup in Qatar which starts on 20 November.