Ballon d’Or 2022: All of the reactions as President Macron, Carlo Ancelotti and co. rejoice Karim Benzema
Congratulations had been so as because the Frenchman Karim Benzema made historical past at Monday night time’s awards ceremony.
There was an outpour of congratulatory messages from among the world’s well-known and strongest folks as Karim Benzema received the Ballon d’Or for the first-time ever in his profession. The 34-year-old soccer star picked up the award at Monday’s gala held inside Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, subsequently receiving commendations from French president Emmanuel Macron, Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho, and a number of other soccer superstars.
Karim Benzema the HERO
The Real Madrid striker earned the popularity after a stellar marketing campaign the final outing which noticed him safe the league and Champions League double with Real Madrid, scoring 44 objectives in 46 video games for the membership. He additionally impressed the French nationwide group to a Nations League win after a 5 and a half-year absence.
“This makes me actually proud, all of the work I did, I by no means gave up,” Benzema mentioned in his acceptance speech.
“I had two position fashions in my life, Zidane and Ronaldo as nicely. I all the time had this dream in my thoughts that all the things’s attainable. There was a tough interval the place I wasn’t within the French group however I labored arduous and by no means gave up, stored my head down and loved enjoying soccer,” he added.
“I am actually pleased with my journey right here, it wasn’t straightforward, it was tough, for me and my household. Age is only a quantity for me. Individuals play till their later years now and I nonetheless have this burning want. It’s this drive that has stored me going and by no means allowed me to let up.
“It stored this dream alive and was the hearth behind me. I simply need to take advantage of if it.” essentially the most prestigious particular person award in soccer for the seventh time final yr.”
With the night time’s, Benzema turned the fifth Frenchman in historical past to safe the accolade, becoming a member of the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Jean-Pierre Papin , Michel Platini and Raymond Kopa on the rostrum. The feat was sufficient to be lauded by French president Emmanuel Macron with different key figures following go well with and paying homage to the striker.
Jose Mourinho Message to Benzema
On the gala, Jose Mourinho additionally delivered a particular message to Benzema in a tribute video composed by France Soccer Journal. The Portuguese coach who managed the Frenchman for 3 years at Real Madrid mentioned that his want to place the group first was the rationale behind his lengthy look forward to the celebrated award.
“Karim is a good character, nice character, a group man” Mourinho declared.
“He’s not obsessive about himself, he isn’t obsessive about the Ballon d’Or, he isn’t a man obsessive about scoring extra objectives than A, B or C. He’s only a group man who does so much in a manner that the Ballon d’Or that turns into a pure consequence. I believe he’s a man obsessed together with his group.”