Prize: Benzema honored with the Ballon d’Or for the first time

Benzema is the first Frenchman to win the award since Zinedine Zidane in 1998. Barcelona’s Alexia Putillas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or again, and the Spaniard is currently out due to a rupture of the cruciate ligament she suffered shortly before the European Summer Championship.

David Alaba’s teammate Benzema excelled in Real Madrid’s victory last season. He scored ten of his 15 goals in the first club competition in the knockout stages, starting with the hat-trick in the round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain.

In the second leg of the quarter-final against Chelsea, the Frenchman secured the lead with his goal in extra time. In the semi-finals, Manchester City again scored three goals from a penalty kick in extra time to reach the final.

“It was my childhood dream. I grew up with this in my head. It motivated me because I have role models in my life like Zizou and Ronaldo,” Benzema, who presented the trophy by Zidane, said.

Lewandowski is a top scorer

Last year, Lionel Messi won the award ahead of Robert Lewandowski (then Bayern), which caused great criticism at the international level. As in the previous year, the Pole, who now plays for FC Barcelona, ​​was awarded the Gerd Muller Award for Best Scorer.

The Golden Ball is not a substitute for the choice of the world footballer. FIFA will continue to organize this. From 2010 to 2015, the world football player was awarded the Ballon d’Or through a collaboration between FIFA and “France Football”.

This time the award for the best player under the age of 21 went to Spanish player Gavi from FC Barcelona. Mane was awarded the Socrates Prize for his social commitment. He was awarded projects in his native Senegal.