BALLON GOES TO REAL ACE KARIM

KARIM Benzema last night won the Ballon d’Or for the first time – and in the process he became the oldest winner since Stanley Matthews, who was 48 when he picked up the award in 1956.

The Real Madrid striker, 34, was the overwhelming favourite to win this year in Paris.

He was the standout performer for the Spanish giants as he fired them to the La Liga title and another Champions League crown as they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final.

Benzema, who scored 44 goals including Champions League strikes to help dump out Chelsea and Manchester City, became just the fifth Frenchman to win the prestigious accolade and the first to claim the award since Zinedine Zidane back in 1998.

Benzema, who began his playing career with hometown club Lyon, finished ahead of Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane with Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne in third place.

And upon claiming the 2022 award given to the best footballer of the year, Benzema, below, said: “This prize in front of me, makes me really proud.

“When I was young, I never gave up, it was a childhood dream to play football.

“I had always had this dream that everything is possible.

“The Ballon d’Or is an individual prize but it is still a collective one for everyone who has helped me to win it.”

Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas retained the Women’s Ballon d’Or as she pipped England’s Beth Mead to the top gong.

Premier League champions Manchester City, who had six nominees at the ceremony, had the consolation of being named Club of the Year ahead of Liverpool.