Karim Benzema of Real Madrid has been crowned the winner of the Ballon d'Or 2022.
The French forward has been in electric form this calendar year, stepping up as Los Blancos won the La Liga championship in 2021/22 along with a 14th Champions League at the hands of Liverpool in Paris.
Benzema managed 15 goals in just 12 appearances in the Champions League, netting hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the knockout stages, along with a brace and another goal in the semi-final first and second legs respectively against Manchester City.
Ballon d'Or 2022: Karim Benzema's incredible year for Real Madrid
The only two teams that Benzema did not score against in the Champions League last season were Inter Milan and Liverpool, who Los Blancos defeated in the final, making it the season of his life on the European stage.
LA LIGA
27 GOALS
12 ASSISTS
32 APPS
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
15 GOALS
2 ASSISTS
12 APPS
In the league, too, the Frenchman helped his side to pull away from the chasing pack, with nine goal contributions in just four games before Real lost El Clasico 4-0 without him in March.
"I somehow doubt this is his final season," manager Carlo Ancelotti said in September last year, adding, "He's like a fine wine; the older he gets the better he is."
At 34, Benzema eclipses the age of Luka Modric, who was 33 when he lifted the Ballon d'Or in 2018 and Fabio Cannavaro, who was the last defender to win the award back in 2006, also 33. Stanley Matthews, however, was 41 when he was awarded the inaugural prize, back in 1956.
This is only the second time that a player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has won the BdO since 2007. Modric's aforementioned win was the other, while Messi's omission from the shortlist is a first in that period, too.
Cristiano Ronaldo was voted way down in 20th place, with Harry Kane the highest English player on the list at 21st.
Erling Haaland managed 10th on the list, with Real Madrid trio Luka Modric ninth, Vinicius Jr eighth and Thibaut Courtois seventh respectively. Kylian Mbappe finished sixth on the list but was booed by French fans outside the ceremony, in light of his desire to leave PSG.
Mohamed Salah, at one point a favourite for the award, finished fifth.
