Is this the best time for the French veteran to win the Ballon d'Or?
Stanley Matthews, who was 41 when he won the first award in 1956, is the second-oldest player to win it.
Vinicius Jr scored the only goal in the win over the Reds, while Thibaut Courtois was the man of the match. It was a quiet night for Benzema, who had a goal disallowed for an obstruction.
Benzema told Canal Plus if he was thinking about the Ballon d'Or - the prize organised by France Football which is awarded annually to the world's best footballer.
I will join up with the national team but I don't think I can do much more with my club. We will see what happens, but I am proud of what I have done.
Let's see what happens. I have nothing to prove on the pitch. The most important thing is to enjoy it.
France legend Thierry Henry, speaking on American television, said: "I just want to say something to France Football or whoever is watching - close the votes." Benzema won. Bye.
How good has Benzema been, who usually wins the Ballon d'Or, and what would this mean?
Benzema has been the star player for the best team in Europe, so he should win the Ballon d'Or on 17 October.
Benzema won the Golden Boot in both the La Liga and the Champions League.
He scored 27 league goals, nine more than anyone else, and 15 in the playoffs.
Benzema scored 15 goals in the season and 10 of them came in the knockout stages.
He scored a hat-trick at home against Paris St-Germain in the next round, and also the winner against Manchester City in the semis.
Rio Ferdinand said that the argument was over for the Ballon d'Or.
Carlo Ancelotti said that Real Madrid is dependent on Benzema. What is required of strikers, including defensive work, is done by a modern forward named Karim.
He is the perfect representation of what a centre-forward should be.
Benzema won two top-scorer trophies this season, his first since he scored 20 goals for Lyon as a 20-year-old.
He has experienced a huge career revival since he left Real. Benzema was the star forward in that team, but he has come into his own since the departure ofRonaldo.
Benzema scored 11 and five goals in the last two seasons of Real. He has averaged 23 league goals a season in the four years since, and on Saturday he won his fifth European title, after six years away from France.
There was a scandal which stunned the football community in France.
Benzema was found guilty of conspiring to blackmail Valbuena with a sex tape.
A judge gave Benzema a one-year suspended jail term and ordered him to pay a fine.
The winner of the Ballon d'Or could be decided by the winner of the European Championship.
The Africa Cup of Nations was won by Sadio Mane, while the Golden Boot went to Mohamed Salah.
Before the match, the manager was asked if the winner of the final could win the trophy.
When you think about how these type of competitions are decided, the answer is probably yes.
You are either a winner or a loser. That is how it goes. It was that way in the last few years. It will increase the chances.
The man is not wrong. The last time the Ballon d'Or was awarded to someone other than Messi,Ronaldo, or a league winner was in 2006 when World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro won.
Luka Modric and Kaka were the only players besides the big two to win in that time.
It was thought that Robert Lewandowski would have won in 2020 but the award was canceled because of Covid.
Benzema has been nominated several times, but has never finished in the top three.
He would be the first Frenchman since 1998 to win.
Before the game, the BBC went to Benzema's hometown of Bron in Lyon to talk to some of his childhood friends.
Benzema, whose parents are both Algerian, gives hope to people who share his background.
He said that everyone thinks they can make it as a footballer or at least make their dreams come true.
We watch all the Real Madrid matches. Everyone is watching Real Madrid play.
He will stop and speak to the kids when he comes to Lyon or Bron, and he will play a five-a-side with us older guys.
I think he has inspired many in Terraillon.
We are proud of him. We wish him all the best in the world, and we have a dream that he wins the Ballon d'Or.
Click here to vote if you are viewing the page on the app.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
