Karim Benzema becomes 5th Frenchman to win Ballon d’Or; Check full list of award winners

French footballer Karim Benzema picked up his maiden Ballon d’Or trophy on Monday night in Paris for his incredible performance in the 2021-22 European football season. He became the fifth Frenchman ever to win the coveted award and the first man from France to claim the title since Zinedine Zidane in 1998. In the 2021-22 season, Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 club games, alongside scoring 10 goals in 16 international games for France. 

In the women’s category, Barcelona star Alexia Putellas successfully defended the Women’s Ballon d’Or award. On the other hand, former Liverpool and current Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane finished second behind the Real Madrid superstar, while Manchester City forward Kevin De Bruyne finished third to wrap up the podium places. Meanwhile, Barcelona youngster Gavi won the Kopa Trophy, and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois won the Yashin Trophy. 

Where did Cristiano Ronaldo finish in Ballon d'Or 2022?

Last year’s runner-up, Robert Lewandowski finished fourth in the men's Ballon d'Or standings. Whereas, five-time Ballon d’Or winner and Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo finished in a disappointing 21st place. Seven-time winner, Lionel Messi was not even nominated for the award due to a poor debut season at PSG. 

However, Benzema deservedly became the biggest talking point of the day for the football world. He was rewarded for showing incredible skills for Real Madrid last season, which included title wins at the Champions League and La Liga competitions. Interestingly, in his speech after winning the Ballon d’Or 2022 award, Benzema revealed Zidane and Ronaldo as the two role models in his life. 

The 34-year-old became the fifth footballer after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, and Zinedine Zidane to win the coveted trophy. He was out of the French national team for six-year due to his involvement in a sex tape. However, he received a call-up from France coach Didier Deschamps last year and has been a regular feature ever since. Having said that, here’s a look at the complete list of winners at Ballon d'Or 2022.

Ballon d'Or Awards 2022: Complete list of winners

Men’s Ballon d’Or Standings-

• Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
• Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
• Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Women’s Ballon d’Or podium -

• Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
• Beth Mead (Arsenal) 
• Sam Kerr (Chelsea)

Kopa Award - Gavi (Barcelona)

Gerd Muller Award - Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

Yashin Trophy - Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

Club of the Year Award - Manchester City

Socrates Award - Sadio Mane (Liverpool)