It was expected and the explosion of joy lived up to the expectation. After an exceptional year, Karim Benzema was crowned Ballon d’Or 2022 on Monday, October 17. What ignite the Sporting Club of Bron-Terraillon, in the Lyon suburbs, the club of its beginnings.
>> Ballon d’or 2022: “At the top of football”, “In the legend” … The French and foreign press salute the coronation of Karim Benzema
The deliverance comes after two hours of waiting, when Zinédine Zidane announces the name of the winner and fills with joy the 150 young footballers and their educators, massed in the common room of the club. “This is where the hairs stand on end“, recognizes the president Samir M’Hachi. “To think that we saw him grow… We saw him hit the wall with the ball and see him get there, there is nothing more beautiful“, he adds.
A pride shared by Mehdi Touchal, educator: “He always said it, we always said it, it was his year. By Benzema, it’s the year of Bron-Terraillon“, he enthuses. “He is a very nice, humble, discreet person. It’s the Karim that everyone knew, he hasn’t changed, he’s still the same“, continues the educator.
A legendary figure for this small club and a model for all the young athletes who evolve there. And now they would like to see him back. “He has to come to the neighborhood!“, launches Badis.”Already, it remains a legend of our club, of our neighborhood, let him come back! Let him come back to this club, see how it is“, adds Gallo who hopes to be able to “to touch” the golden ball. In the meantime, they will soon be able to admire a fresco of the hero, about thirty meters high, visible from the Lyon ring road.
The emotion at the Bron-Terraillon club after the coronation of Karim Benzema – The report by Christophe Vincent
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