Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has thrown his weight behind Real Madrid star Karim Benzema as the favourite to win the award this year. In the recently concluded 2021/22 season, The Frenchman helped his side win the LaLiga title and the Champions League trophy.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Messi has no doubts about Benzema’s candidacy as the frontrunner to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or after another brilliant individual season.
Messi singles out the striker’s performances in the Champions League knockout stages. The 34-year-old international came up with crucial goals against PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in successive rounds to lead Los Blancos into the final.
“I think there are no doubts Benzema should win Ballon d’Or. It is very clear that Benzema had a spectacular year and ended up elevating himself with the Champions League, being essential from the last 16 onwards in all the games. I think there are no doubts this year,”
he told TyC Sports.
Benzema finished as the leading scorer domestically with 27 goals from 32 games in addition to 12 assists, the second-most behind Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele. However, it was his performances in Real Madrid’s 14th Champions League title win that cemented his place as the favorite to win Ballon d’Or, which will be awarded in October this year, two months earlier than usual.
The forward scored 15 and set up another in 12 appearances, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer ahead of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side eliminated Messi’s PSG on their way to the final, but the Argentine is of the opinion that they weren’t the “best team” to win the tournament while acknowledging them as the winners.
“Real Madrid, without taking away their merit, much less because they are the champion of the Champions League and are always there, were not the best team in this Champions League and yet they beat them all,”
Messi said.
