A formality, at least on paper. According to specialists, or even his own opponents, the Ballon d’Or 2022 is already known. And the name engraved in its base is that of Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid striker would then succeed Zinedine Zidane as the last Frenchman to win the main individual award in the world of football. If this scenario is confirmed, it will be very difficult to blame the voters after the season that the center-forward of the Blues has just delivered. The reasons for awarding him the prize are not lacking.
Because he stacked the goals like rarely
The Ballon d’Or has a habit of celebrating prolific strikers. In this register, very few are able to compete with Karim Benzema. Only Robert Lewandowski has scored more goals than “KB9” in the 2021-2022 financial year. But with 44 achievements in 46 club matches, the French delivered, by far (his previous record was 32 in 2011-2012), his best statistical career season. Karim Benzema has shown exceptional consistency at a very high level, regardless of the competition played.
50 – Players of top five European leagues with most goals in all club competitions in 2021/2022 season:
50 – @lewy_official
44 – @Benzema
39 – @KMbappeElite. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/lxEJ9pmqvt
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) July 16, 2022
Because he was decisive in the big moments
Other data classified by the jury of the Ballon d’Or as the main criterion: the “decisive and impressive character of the suitors”. There lies the massive argument that should tip the scales in favor of the Madrid player. In a sometimes sluggish Real team offensively, Karim Benzema transformed the slightest opportunity into danger. His performances in the cutthroat matches of the Champions League – ten goals out of his 15 in C1 last season, historic record of Cristiano Ronaldo equaled – brought his people to a new trophy.
Without him, Real Madrid would have been eliminated in the round of 16, in the quarter-finals, then in the semi-finals. In each of these matches, he systematically scored – with two hat-tricks against PSG in the round of 16 second leg, then in the quarter-final first leg against Chelsea – before forcing the decision in the semi-final second leg against Manchester City with the assist decisive 1-1, then the penalty caused and converted to 3-1 to ensure qualification in the final.
‘Cause he won it all
2021-2022 will remain as the perfect exercise for Karim Benzema. “The Ballon d’Or is in the back of my mind, of course: in the club, I can’t do better”, he decrypted to Canal + after having raised his fifth Champions League. To the C1 are added La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup for a rare treble. Individually, the list of his accomplishments is even longer. Top scorer, best player and best goal of the season in the Champions League. Top scorer, best player in La Liga. And to top it off, the title of UEFA player of the year, for the first time in his career. An undivided raid to which all that is missing is the Ballon d’Or.
Because no major world competition has been able to upset the game
Skeptics can always argue that such an award in a year without major international competition loses its weight. Others will be able to answer that the World Cups, the European championships and the Copa America have sometimes distorted the situation and blurred the reading of a player’s season. Still, the 2022 vintage of the Ballon d’Or is almost exclusively about club performances, again placing Karim Benzema at the top of the list of favorites.
On this criterion, only Sadio Mané, leader of Senegal African champion last January, could have upset the hierarchy. But for lack of major trophies with Liverpool (2nd in the Premier League, Champions League finalist), the new Bayern Munich player is several ranks behind the French center-forward. Especially since Karim Benzema does not have a clean record with the Blues in 2021 either, since he won the League of Nations last November, scoring in the semi-finals, then in the final.
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Because the criteria for awarding the Ballon d’Or have changed
2022 marks a small revolution in the history of the Ballon d’Or. After more than a decade of almost perpetual alternation between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two legends are sure not to top their charts this time around, partly because of the regulations. France Football, organizer of the award, has changed the criteria for awarding the Ballon d’Or to simplify them and avoid controversy over certain discounts to the CR7-Messi duo.
The entire career of the contenders is thus no longer taken into account. Only individual and collective performances, as well as the “class of the player and his sense of fair play” are now retained to decide. This last argument seems very complicated to quantify, except for its absence. What we cannot blame Karim Benzema for this season.