Karim Benzema has been tipped by many football pundits to emerge the winner of the 66th edition of the Ballon d’Or which comes up in October. The France international had an incredible 2021-202 season with the Los Blancos.
The 2022 Ballon d’Or comes up in October with stiff competition and contests determined basically by stats and numbers. This time, French international and Real Madrid star Karim Benzema is more poised and positioned to win the trophy for the first time in his football career. The 34-year-old pulled astonishing and dizzying stats last season.
Gone are the days when Benzema played second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo. Since Ronaldo’s Real Madrid exit, Benzema has zoomed into the scene with astonishing goals and assists stats. Often he has come to the rescue of the Merengues.
Carlo Ancelotti Tips Karim Benzema For Ballon d’Or
As the contest for who wins the 2022 Ballon d’Or heats up, Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has tipped Karim Benzema, his top striker, for the world’s most coveted award.
Speaking after winning the 5th UEFA Super Cup for the Los Blancos, Ancelotti expressed his optimism about the chances of Benzema winning the 2022 Ballon d’Or, given his exploits with the club last season. Ancelotti admitted that Real Madrid had worked hard to attain last season’s feats, but Benzema has been a crucial factor with epic contributions to the team.
“He is a very important player, a leader of the team, we are here on our merit, and, he has scored a lot of goals”, the coach said. “He finished the season well and he has started it well and nobody has any doubt that he should be the Ballon d’Or. I think nobody doubts it, but in football, anything can happen.”
Who are the other contenders for the 2022 Ballon d ‘Or?
Besides Karim Benzema, other players considered to be favorites to win the 66th edition of the award include; Sadio Mane of Senegal and Bayern Munich, Mohamed Salah of Egypt, and Liverpool, Robert Lewandowski of Poland and Barcelona, and Kylian Mbappe of France and PSG.
Sadio Mane scored 33 goals last season for Liverpool in all competitions before joining the Bavarian. Salah scored 31 goals for the Reds last season.
If Mane or Salah wins the Ballon d’Or, they will be the second African footballer to achieve the feat after George Weah of Liberia did it in 1995. Former Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is another favorite to win the trophy. Before moving to Barcelona, Lewandowski scored 35 Bundesliga goals for Bayern Munich.
Lewandowski has won the Bundesliga golden boot five consecutive times and is the first player to achieve such a feat in the history of the Bundesliga. Kylian Mbappe scored 28 goals with 17 assists in 35 French Ligue matches for PSG.
Can The Contenders Rival Benzema?
Ballon d’Or is largely dependent on stats of the previous season and trophies. Benzema’s rivals are strong with the stats, especially Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe. Both strikers pulled a sterling performance for their clubs with good numbers and winning their respective leagues.
Sadio Mane is another strong contender with intimidating stats, including Mohamed Salah. Benzema beats them all with a Champions League trophy. PSG and Liverpool, the club parading two of the rivals, were knocked out by Benzema-led Real Madrid. While Villarreal bundled out Lewandowski’s Bayern Munich.
Benzema scored 27 goals with 12 assists for Rela Madrid last season. He banged 15 goals in 12 matches in the UEFA Champions League to emerge the top-scorer and also won the competition. The 34-year-old did not just lift the 14th UEFA Champions League trophy but played a messianic role for the Los Blancos against PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City.
Benzema All 2021-2022 Champions League Goals
Benzema weighs heavier in the Real Madrid team than rival Ballon d’Or contenders for their respective clubs. His last season’s eight matches absence sank the team as they won only 3 matches, dropping points, and were knocked out of the Copa Del Rey by Athletic Bilbao.
After Benzema’s return, the Los Blancos picked up the pace and easily smashed opponents.
Benzema put the 2021 Champions League above clear favorites – PSG, Manchester City, and Chelsea. He Bagged a hattrick against PSG and Chelsea and secured a brace against Manchester City.
The France international has won four trophies for the Los Blancos – the La Liga, the Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, and the European Super Cup. He is a clear favorite to win the Ballon d ‘Or for the first time in his career.
