Finally. Finally, here it is, the Ballon d’Or that France has been waiting for frantically, impatiently and feverishly for 24 years, the second longest drought for French football. While, thanks to Raymond Kopa, Jean-Pierre Papin, Michel Platini’s hat-trick or the last trophy, won by Zinedine Zidane, the Blues have long counted in the history of the award, even collecting a third of the Ballons d’Or between 1983 and 1998, the expected coronation of Karim Benzema puts an end to an infernal shortage this Monday.
The Madrilenian has officially become the fifth Frenchman to win the supreme individual award, he is the one who succeeds Zidane and weaves a little more obvious affiliation with his former coach and mentor. And it was Zizou, precisely, who presented him with the precious trophy this Monday at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Difficult to make a more beautiful symbol.
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Twenty-four years, almost a quarter of a century: Benzema also becomes the first French Ballon d’Or of the 21st century and of a whole generation. The one who thought that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would share the precious to infinity. Since 1998, only eight countries have been entitled to the honors of the trophy. Argentina, Portugal and Brazil have grabbed it 17 times in the last 22 editions. The Czech Republic, Ukraine, Italy, England and Croatia have, at least, collected the crumbs. And nothing for France so until October 17th.
Zidane and Karim Benzema at the Ballon d’Or ceremony
Credit: Getty Images
Better than Ribéry, Henry and Griezmann
And yet, in the meantime, she had a lot of arguments to pick up the stakes by winning a World Cup or by placing some of her best elements among the greatest references of the 21st century. Seven times, she could, and sometimes should, have finished on the top step of the charts. Zinedine Zidane (2000 and 2006), Thierry Henry (2003 and 2006), Franck Ribéry (2013) and Antoine Griezmann (2016 and 2018) have however, each time, found stronger than them. Because of a red card or a headbutt for Zidane, votes from the East for Henry, the duo Messi – Ronaldo for Ribéry and the power of Madrid lobbying for Griezmann. Or even the lack of patriotic support in the last two cases.
So why has Benzema succeeded where all the greatest French players have failed for 24 years? Firstly because for the first time in 16 years (yes, 16 years!) neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano were serious candidates. Benzema’s coronation remains a real feat since he is a true contemporary of Ronaldo and Messi, whose year of birth he shares (1987). He is only the second player of their generation to lift the trophy after Luka Modric, who was born in 1985 as Ronaldo.
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Excluded from the Blues yesterday, national pride today
Then because KB9, beyond his achievements and his immaculate career in the Champions League which make him absolutely essential, can count on the unfailing support of Real Madrid, a machine for winning (and undoing) the Ballons d’Or. It is not certain that the know-how of the record-breaking club in this area now, with Barça, tipped the scales as Benzema took very good care of scattering the competition on his own. But Ribéry had had the same success in 2013 without icing on his cake, the fault among other things of timid support from his club and his country (and insane lobbying from Real for CR7). The return to the exclusive vote of journalists also makes it possible to refocus the debate on the ground and to avoid the baroque or political votes of the coaches or their captains.
France waited 24 years, but this time no obstacle could stand in its way. Benzema becomes one of the most indisputable French Ballon d’Ors in history. He who, however, has known such a frustrated history and sometimes strained relations with his country. Excluded from the Blues between 2016 and 2021 for the “sextape” affair, which damaged his image with the general public, he needed exile in the biggest club in the world, a peaceful and effective return to the France team. , and a sensational season to battle strong headwinds. Today, no one will discuss the coronation of a Karim Benzema who has finally become national pride. Will we still have to wait a quarter of a century to find him a successor or is he launching a dynamic? All this could depend on Kylian Mbappé…
Karim Benzema, winner of the Ballon d’Or 2022
Credit: Getty Images
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