His spectacular 2021-2022 season Karim Benzema won its recognition from UEFA this Thursday: Real Madrid’s French striker was awarded by the European Confederation as the best football player in Europe in the last run.
Benzema too top favorite to win the Ballon d’Or to be delivered in mid-October, marked 50 goals in 56 games last season between Real Madrid and France and was crowned La Liga and Champions League champions as first scorer of the two tournaments.
It was in the Champions League where Karim made his most important appearances: he scored 15 goals in 12 games, including hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea in the round of 16 and quarter-finals, and more three goals against Manchester City in the semi-final series.
The UEFA Player of the Year award was created after the Season 2010-2011with Lionel Messi as the first winner, and only once did it not award a Champions League champion footballer in that run: it was the case of Andres Iniesta after the 2011-2012 campaignin which Chelsea became champion of the main European club competition but Spain won the European Championship.
Also, Spain’s Alexia Putellas was awarded for the second consecutive year as the best player of the season by UEFA, while Carlo Ancelotti and Sarina Wiegmann were awarded as the best coaches of the last course.
All the winners of the UEFA awards gala
- Best player: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid).
- Best Female Player: Alexia Putelas (Barcelona).
- Best Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid).
- Best Female Soccer Coach: Sarina Wiegman (England).
- President’s Award: Arrigo Sacchi.
All UEFA Player of the Year Award winners
| Year | Football player | Equipment | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Leo Messi | FC Barcelona | Argentina |
| 2012 | Andres Iniesta | FC Barcelona | Spain |
| 2013 | Franck Ribery | Bayern Munich | France |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | Portugal |
| 2015 | Leo Messi | FC Barcelona | Argentina |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | Portugal |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | Portugal |
| 2018 | Luka Modric | Real Madrid | Croatia |
| 2019 | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | Netherlands |
| 2020 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | Poland |
| 2021 | Jorginho | Chelsea | Italy |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | France |
