Karim Benzema outwits Sadio Mane, Kevin De Bruyne, Lewandowski to win first Ballon d’Or Award

Karim Benzema, French and Real Madrid forward, has won the 2022 Player of the Year Ballon d’Or award in Paris.

The award was presented by former Real Madrid’s coach Zinedine Zidane at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France on Monday.

The 34-year-old Real Madrid’s striker is winning the award for the first time in his career.

Benzema, who also won the UEFA Nations League with France last season, pushed Bayern Munich and Senegal star Sadio Mane into second place.

Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Belgium was third, with Barcelona and Poland star Robert Lewandowski coming fourth.

Winning the award, which is given out by France Football magazine, caps a remarkable career revival for Benzema, who was frozen out of the France team for five and a half years because of his involvement in a blackmail scandal over a sex tape involving teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

He was later handed a one-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 75,000 euros ($73,848) for his involvement in the affair.

However, he returned to the national team for last year’s European Championship and will now go to the World Cup in Qatar with France next month.

He will turn 35 on December 19, the day after the World Cup final.

Benzema is the oldest winner of the Ballon d’Or since the very first winner, Stanley Matthews in 1956.