Benzema crowned the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner after leading Real Madrid to Champions League-La Liga double Karim Benzema has been named Ballon d’Or winner for 2022, with the Real Madrid striker enjoying an incredible calendar year.

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Benzema crowned the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner after leading Real Madrid to Champions League-La Liga double

Chris Burton17 Oct 2022 21:04+01:00

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K. BenzemaReal MadridPrimera DivisiónUEFA Champions LeagueBallon d'Or

Karim Benzema has been named Ballon d’Or winner for 2022, with the Real Madrid striker enjoying an incredible calendar year.

• Blancos striker scored 44 goals last season
• Claimed domestic & European titles
• Eighth Real Madrid player to win a Golden Ball

WHAT HAPPENED? The France international enjoyed a remarkable 2021-22 campaign at Santiago Bernabeu, with a stunning 44-goal haul helping Los Blancos to La Liga and Champions League titles. The 34-year-old found the target on 27 occasions in the Spanish top flight last season and 15 times in European competition.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Benzema has been a revelation for Madrid, helping to fill the void created by Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018 while also taking on captaincy duties following Sergio Ramos’ move to Paris Saint-Germain. He has now been recognised as the world’s best by his peers, with competition from the likes of Mohamed Salah, Robert Lewandowski, Sadio Mane, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland seen off to land the prestigious Golden Ball.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

 Karim Benzema is odds-on favourite to be crowned with the Ballon d'Or. (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Elite players from across Europe are battling it out to be crowned as the Ballon d'Or winner for 2022.

In a glitzy ceremony held at Theatre du Chalet - in Paris - Manchester United stars Casemiro and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo are among 30 contenders for what is arguably the biggest individual award on the planet. Quite staggeringly, though, there is no room for Lionel Messi on the shortlist this year.

He won his seventh Ballon d'Or in 2021 with Karim Benzema odds-on to pick up this prize. Manchester City will be well represented in Paris, too, as six of their players - including Erling Haaland - are nominated.

After drip-feeding lower placings throughout the afternoon, the main ceremony will take place from 7.30pm when podium spots will be announced. But can anyone usurp Benzema?

Ballon d'Or winners since 2000

A rundown of the Ballon d'Or winners so far this century.

Spoiler alert! Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominate;

2000: Luis Figo

2001: Michael Owen

2002: Ronaldo

2003: Pavel Nedved

2004: Andriy Shevchenko

2005: Ronaldinho

2006: Fabio Cannavaro

2007: Kaka

2008: Cristiano Ronaldo

2009: Lionel Messi

2010: Lionel Messi

2011: Lionel Messi

2012: Lionel Messi

2013: Cristiano Ronaldo

2014: Cristiano Ronaldo

2015: Lionel Messi

2016: Cristiano Ronaldo

2017: Cristiano Ronaldo

2018: Luka Modric

2019: Lionel Messi

2020: n/a (due to Covid-19 pandemic)

2021: Lionel Messi

Karim Benzema - 1/33

Erling Haaland - 12/1

Kylian Mbappe - 16/1

Mohamed Salah - 25/1

Robert Lewandowski, Kevin de Bruyne, Vinicius Jnr, Sadio Mane - 33/1

Stars in top-10 rankings alongside Benzema

Karim Benzema is odds-on to scoop his first ever Ballon d'Or trophy.

But who else will join him in the top-10 rankings this year?

Thibaut Courtois, Kevin de Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Sadio Mane, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric, Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Jnr are still to be placed.

11th: Son Heung-min

12th: Riyad Mahrez

13th: Sebastien Haller

14th: Rafael Leao, Fabinho

16th: Virgil van Dijk

17th: Casemiro, Luis Diaz, Dusan Vlahovic

20th: Cristiano Ronaldo

21st: Harry Kane

22nd: Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden

25th: Darwin Nunez, Christopher Nkunku, Joao Cancelo, Antonio Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich, Mike Maignan