Benzema, the sanction falls

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By: Manu Tournoux

Darmanin, the anger of Benzema

Ballon d’Or 2022, Karim Benzema was nominated for the 2023 edition but was satisfied with 16th place.

Fifth French player in history to be crowned Ballon d’Or (after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini three times, Jean-Pierre Papin and ZinĂ©dine Zidane), Karim Benzema is also the oldest French player, at 35 years and 10 months, to be classified for the Ballon d’Or. A year after his coronation, rewarding his exceptional years at Real Madrid, “KB9” is 16th in the 2023 edition, as revealed by the L’Equipe channel on Monday, before the ceremony which will crown Lionel Messi for the 8th time.

Although he has been playing in Saudi Arabia since last summer, “KB9” still came out of a great 2022-2023 season with the Merengues, with 31 goals scored in 43 matches, being the best player on his team in both Champions League qualifiers against Liverpool and Chelsea. The native of Lyon finished far from the places of honor for his 10th nomination, while his ex-teammates Luka Modric and Vinicius appear in the top 10…

Benzema still does better than Luka Modric and Lionel Messi who, respectively Ballon d’Or in 2018 and 2021, were not even named the year after…

Manu Tournoux

Written by:

Manu Tournoux

Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.