Benzema’s words after receiving the Ballon d’Or at the hands of Zidane | VIDEO

Karim Benzema succeeded Leo Messi as winner of the Golden Ball as a reward for his magnificent 2021-2022 season, receiving this Monday at the Theater du Chatelet in Paris the most prestigious individual football trophy in the world. His great campaign with Real Madrid, being key in the conquests of the Spanish LaLiga and the Champions League, were decisive. He then gave some emotional words.

“Seeing this trophy in front of me is my pride. I think back to when I was a kid and all the work. I never lowered my arms. It is a childhood dream. I have grown up with him in my head”, he declared after receiving the trophy at the hands of Zinedine Zidane.

Benzema became the first Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or since Zidane did it in 1998 and becomes the fifth, along with Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini and Jean-Pierre Papin.

His numbers last season left no room for doubt. He was the most decisive element in the Spanish league titles, with his 27 goals in 32 games, which gave him the ‘Pichichi’ trophy for top scorer, and his 15 goals in the Champions League (compared to 13 for Lewandowski), with triplets in the round of 16 and quarter-finals against Paris Saint Germain and Chelsea, and a double in the semi-finals against Manchester City.