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Cristiano Ronaldo has 14-year record after Real Madrid star Karim Benzema wins Ballon d’Or

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema were teammates at Real Madrid, and they helped the club win four Champions League titles together.

 

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Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player from outside Spain to have won the Ballon d’Or, as Karim Benzema did on Monday night. Real Madrid’s star was honored for his stunning exploits last season, when his 44 goals in all competitions guided Los Blancos to a La Liga and Champions League double. Sadio Mane came in second, followed by Kevin De Bruyne in third.

 

Since Ronaldo’s decision to leave Real Madrid for Juventus in the summer transfer window of 2018, Benzema has moved up, having achieved everything he desired at the Bernabeu.

 

And the current Los Blancos star has been named the best player in the world after scoring 44 goals in all competitions.

 

Benzema was unplayable as Real Madrid won the Champions League last season, with goals against PSG and Manchester City particularly memorable.

 

And his victory means Ronaldo is the last player from outside Spain to win the accolade, having previously won it in 2008 while playing for Manchester United.

 

The Portugal international beat Lionel Messi to the award, having led United to Premier League and Champions League victory in 2007/08.

 

That season, he scored 42 goals from wide positions in all competitions, including a header in the final of Europe’s top club championship against Chelsea.

 

Only players from Spain have won the golden ball and added it to their personal trophy cases in the years since.

 

Ronaldo has been among them, with the current Manchester United player receiving the award while at Real Madrid in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.

 

Messi himself won the award in 2009. He was in Barcelona in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2019.

 

Though he did win the title in 2021, shortly after joining PSG, it was mainly in acknowledgment of his achievement in La Liga the previous season.

 

And, other than Benzema, Luka Modric is the only other player to have ended Ronaldo and Messi’s supremacy, winning the trophy in 2018.

 

Last season, Ronaldo scored 24 goals for Manchester United in all competitions, including 18 in the Premier League.

 

Despite this, he was chosen 20th in this year’s Ballon d’Or, since his efforts were insufficient to propel the Red Devils into the Champions League, with the club finishing sixth in the domestic rankings instead.

 

Ronaldo has yet to respond to Benzema, his former Real Madrid teammate, receiving the award.

 

And there’s a sense he’s never been satisfied with the tournament’s organizers after Modric was named Ballon d’Or winner instead of himself four years ago.

 

Benzema confessed after his victory that he felt he’d never achieved his aim of being the world’s finest player.

 

“I’m quite proud of it,” he remarked.

 

“I never gave up despite all of my efforts; it was a childhood ambition that every youngster has.”

 

“I had two motivations in my life: Zidane and Ronaldo, and I’ve always believed that anything is possible.”

 

“There was a difficult period when I wasn’t on the French squad, but I never gave up or stopped working hard.”

 

“I always kept my head up and focused on football, and I’m very proud of my trip here.” It wasn’t easy; it was a trying period. It was also difficult for my family.

 

“To be here today, for the first time in my life, I’m happy and satisfied with my work, and I’m going to keep going.”

 

“I’d want to thank my teammates, whether from Real Madrid or the national team, as well as my coach and the Real Madrid president.”

 

“I owe a lot of gratitude to a lot of individuals.” It’s an individual medal, but it’s also a collective one because everyone contributed.”

 

Benzema will aim to play when Real Madrid faces Elche in La Liga on Wednesday night (8pm).

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