Karim Benzema’s selection as the Ballon d’Or winner for 2022 is expected to highlight LaLiga’s dominance in tonight’s Ballon d’Or awards event.
The celebration will be held in Paris, and three players with Spanish residences will take home the top three prizes of the evening, according to Marca. Benzema will receive the Ballon d’Or trophy for the first time in his career, while Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid is anticipated to win the Yashin Trophy as the best goalkeeper and Barcelona’s Gavi will win the Kopa Trophy as the world’s best young player.
Benzema, a French striker who scored in Real’s 3-1 El Clasico victory against Barcelona on Sunday, defeated Sadio Mane of Bayern Munich and Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski to earn the coveted prize. In addition to leading the Spanish powerhouses to a LaLiga title triumph and an upset victory against Liverpool to claim their 14th European Cup trophy, the Los Blancos skipper scored 27 goals last season and led all scorers with 15 goals in the Champions League.
The last time neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo was among the top three scorers since 2006 will occur if Benzema, Mane, and Lewandowski win. Luka Modric of Real Madrid, last received the Ballon d’Or in 2018, and Benzema will mark the eighth different Madrid player to do so.
