Manchester United Legend Edwin Van Der Sar Backs Sadio Mane to Win 2022 Ballon d’Or

• Edwin Van der Sar has disclosed he favors 2021 AFCON gold medalist Sadio Mané for the 2022 Ballon d'Or award ahead of in-form Karim Benzema
• Mané has silently being diligent for both club and country helping Senegal win their first continental trophy and qualifying for the World Cup while playing an important role in Liverpool's quadruple title ambitions
• He has 18 goals and 2 assists in 41 club appearances so far this season and recently scored a brace as Liverpool bundled Manchester City out of the FA Cup

Retired Dutch and Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar has tipped Liverpool attacker Sadio Mané for the coveted Ballon d'Or award.

Van der Sar reckons the 2021 AFCON winner should be mentioned in the same breath as Karim Benzema as favorites to clinch the individual accolade.

Benzema's impeccable performance for Real Madrid has put him in pole position to scoop home the award however Edwin Van der Sar, who is the current Chief Executive of Ajax Amsterdam, believes the Senegalese talisman deserves the accolade more.

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"Benzema Ballon d’Or? For me it’s no”, he said in a recent Twitter Space as quoted by Africatopsports.

“Wait, there’s a player currently doing just as well as Benzema and no one is talking about him.

“Do you know Sadio Mané? Along with Salah, Sadio has been Liverpool’s best player for several seasons now. If any player should win the Ballon d’Or, it’s him.”

Mané has quietly been phenomenal for both club and country helping Senegal clinch the 2021 AFCON and qualifying for the upcoming World Cup at the expense of teammate Mohammed Salah.

He is also an important figure in Liverpool's quadruple title chase for the season and recently fired a brace to send the Reds to the finals of the Emirates FA Cup and comes as no surprise the Manchester United legend prefers the Senegalese international ahead of Benzema.

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Earlier, Sports Brief reported that three-time FIFA World Footballer of the Year Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima has tipped in-form Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema as the favourite for the 2022 Ballon d'Or award.

Ronaldo, a multiple winner of the accolade, reckons Benzema's form makes him best placed to win the Ballon d'Or award in a season most contenders have failed to match the performance of the Madrid talisman.

Benzema has been in red-hot form this season literally dragging the Los Blancos to La Liga and UEFA Champions League success with his superlative displays and most especially priceless goals.'