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Karim Benzema and Alexia Putellas claimed the big honors at the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League ceremony for their performances in the previous edition of the competition.
Benzema established himself as the firm favourite for the 2022 Ballon d’Or by picking up the 2021/22 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year gong. The Frenchman scored 15 goals last season in the competition, helping Real Madrid to their 14th title. His teammate Vinicius Jr was named the UEFA Men’s Young Player of the Year for his contributions, which included a match-winning goal in the final against Liverpool.
FC Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas was named the 2021/22 UEFA Women’s Player of the Year in the same ceremony, despite ending up on the losing side in the final.
The midfielder scored 11 goals in the tournament, including three across two legs against bitter rivals Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, two against VfL Wolfsburg in the semi-finals, and the only goal in a 3-1 defeat to Lyon in the final. Selma Bacha, who helped Lyon win the competition with nine assists, was named the Women’s Young Player of the Season.
Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti was named the Coach of the Year for guiding Real Madrid to a record 14th title in the competition.
In the Women’s category, England head coach Sarina Wiegman received the equivalent honor for leading the Lionesses to home glory in the 2022 Women’s Euro – England’s first major international trophy since 1966.
Here’s the list of 2021/22 UEFA Champions League awards in full
Men’s Player of the Year: Karim Benzema
Women’s Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas
Men’s Coach of the Year: Carlo Ancelotti
Women’s Coach of the Year: Sarina Wiegman
Men’s Young Player of the Year: Vinicius Jr
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Selma Bacha
Men’s Team of the Year
Thibaut Courtois; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson; Kevin De Bruyne, Fabinho, Luka Modric; Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Women’s Team of the Year
Christiane Endler; Griedge Mbock Bathy, Wendie Renard, Maria Pilar Leon, Selma Bacha; Aitana Bonmati, Patricia Guijarro, Amandine Henry, Alexia Putellas; Ada Hegerberg, Marie-Antoinette Katoto
