Real Madrid Forward Karim Benzema Opens Up on Winning First Ballon d’Or Award

• Karim Benzema has described the 2021/22 season as his best ever, after his performance earned him his first Ballon d’Or award
• Benzema revealed winning the Ballon d’Or was one of three dreams he had as a young footballer and he’s happy to have fulfilled it
• Benzema edged out Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane and Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne to win his first Ballon d’Or award on Monday night

Karim Benzema is still reminiscing on winning his first Ballon d’Or, after he was named the world’s best player by France Football on Monday, October 17.

The French forward spoke to Real Madrid's official TV and shared his thoughts, after edging out Sadio Mane and Kevin de Bruyne to win the award.

According to SB Nation, Benzema disclosed he has been dreaming about winning the Ballon d’Or since he was a kid, while hailing the 2021/22 season as his best so far in his career.

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“It was the best season of my career because at the end of it I won the Ballon d’Or. I’d been dreaming about it since I was a kid. It was the best season of my career.”

Benzema won the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles last season with Real Madrid, also emerging as the top scorer in both competitions.

Valbuena congratulates Benzema on prize

Meanwhile, Karim Benzema received congratulations from former France player Mathieu Valbuena following his 2022 Ballon d'Or victory, Daily Post reports.

Benzema was detained in 2015 and later tried, over an alleged conspiracy to extort former international teammate Valbuena over an explicit tape.

Valbuena seemed to have put all that trouble behind him, as he insisted that the Real Madrid striker thoroughly deserved to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

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Elche pays tribute to Benzema

Earlier, Sports Brief reported La Liga outfit Elche paid a glowing tribute to Karim Benzema for winning this year's edition of the Ballon d'Or.

Benzema was crowned the winner of the coveted golden ball award on Monday night at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

He received the prestigious prize after enjoying arguably his most productive season with Real Madrid, scoring 44 goals in 46 matches across all competitions.