The 2022 Ballon d’Or highlights showcased the stunning and remarkable moments of the most prestigious individual football award, which was awarded by legends who made playing the game look simple and for whom their respective clubs erected statues.
Karim Benzema, the 66th Ballon d’Or winner, was named the best player for Real Madrid in the previous campaign.
The French striker won the Champions League and La Liga titles in addition to scoring 50 goals and dishing out 14 assists.
Benzema’s award presentation by legendary former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane to his former player was captured on camera. The audience applauded when his name was mentioned because they believe he deserved the honor.
Didier Drogba, a Chelsea legend, joined him as well. He was the co-host of the show.
Images from the ceremony showed Benzema holding the gold in his palms while sporting a dashing black suit. He is the fifth man from France to get the honor.
As for Robert Lewandowski, a Polish striker who plays for Barcelona and was named “best striker of the year” the previous year, he didn’t go home empty handed.
Because of his accomplishments at Bayern Munich, where he scored 50 goals for the club, he won the prize for the greatest striker of the season once more.
Despite the fact that many people felt he was wrongfully denied at least the Ballon d’Or, he was placed second in the previous nomination and fourth this year.
Recall that the organizers canceled the award ceremony for the year (2020) in which he was scheduled to receive it.
Also from the ceremony, the three-time Champions League champion Zidane and Real Madrid President Florentino Perez posed alongside the winner of the 2022 Ballon d’Or.
The mother of Benzema, who was joyful and thrilled that his son had won the award, was seen with him on stage. Also on the stage, Benzema was accompanied by his son, Ibrahim.
The Frenchman did not only win the Golden ball at the event, he was pictured receiving a Rolex watch as part of the goodies that come with winning the Ballon d’Or.
Afterwards, Benzema was seen beaming in the press conference following the performance while waving to the crowd.
Another image has Benzema and Real Madrid President Florentino Perez with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who earned the Yashin award for best goalkeeper of the year.
Interestingly, Sadio Mane who came second on the Ballon d’Or nomination list, represented Africa to the fullest by putting on the normal native and shoes on the Red Carpet instead of a pair of suit.
Bukayo Saka who came eight on the nomination list of the Kopa Trophy was seen with two other female Arsenal players Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema. Saka was in the normal all black and the female footballers put on a red gown.
A scene from the event showed Benzema shaking hands with the four time African Best Player Yaya Toure who seems very happy to meet the newly crowned best player in the World.
The Kopa trophy for finest youth went to Barcelona’s Gavi, 18. He is the second Barcelona player to receive the award in two years after Pedri in 2021
And 28-year-old Alexia Putellas of Barcelona won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year.
The Moment Drogba joked about how good Luis Figo was and the kind of the Character the 2000 Ballon d’Or winner is when Figo was called out to give an award to the Best Club of the year, electrified the atmosphere.
Manchester City were given the award of the best team of the year after winning the the Premier League and making it to the Semi Finals of the Champions League before they were stopped by Real Madrid.
Manchester City scored 99 goals in the Premier League, they have always created exceptional records with Pep Guardiola tactics.
Here his another moment where Lewandowski put aside rivalry between himself and Benzema and went on to greet him before the beginning of the Award Show.
