Lionel Messi backs Real Madrid captain to win the Ballon D’Or despite FIFA subbed.
Few people would have predicted that Karim Benzema would surpass both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in Spanish football, but the Frenchman has turned out to be the nation’s best player.
Now the 34-year-old could be about to win an award that was previously only contested by Messi and Ronaldo.
Or at least he ought to be, in Messi’s opinion. When asked who should win the Ballon d’Or this year in an interview with TyC Sports, Messi gave his opinion, which Marca carried.
“I think this year there are no questions; it is obvious that Benzema had a fantastic year,” the author said.
He ended up dedicating that year to the Champions League, playing a crucial role in each game starting in the Round of 16. There aren’t any doubts, in my opinion, this year.
Along with his accomplishments in the Champions League, Benzema was unquestionably the best player in La Liga last season.
In 46 appearances across all leagues, Benzema notched 44 goals and 15 assists. Beyond the numbers, however, Benzema’s contribution to the number of outstanding technical goals was remarkable. Many of those also had differential effects on the outcome.
Real Madrid’s failure in the important games they played without Benzema—a 1-0 loss to Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain and a 4-0 defeat to his former team Barcelona—is evidence of how essential he was to their success.
