Carlo Ancelotti and Karim Benzema get UEFA player and coach of the year honors
Carlo Ancelotti and Karim Benzema get UEFA player and coach of the year honors
Carlo Ancelotti and Karim Benzema get UEFA player and coach of the year honors
After scoring a career-high 15 goals as Real Madrid won the 2022 Champions League, Karim Benzema was voted UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, reaffirming his position as the favorite to win the Ballon d’Or.
The 34-year-old Benzema led Real Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League Double last season and was a vital player in a series of thrilling European comebacks, scoring hat tricks against Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain among other highlights.
The honor was presented at an event in Istanbul on Thursday, which also saw the group stage of the 2022–23 Champions League drawn. Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti also received the UEFA Men’s Coach of the Year award.
Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool and Pep Guardiola of City were passed over in favor of Ancelotti.
Ancelotti responded, “The passion I have for the sport and the quality of the players,” when asked how he had become the most effective coach in the tournament.
“Last season there was a fantastic connection between the veterans and young ones, there was fantastic chemistry with the supporters that helped us reach an unbelievable achievement.”
On Benzema, Ancelotti said: “Karim is not just a fantastic striker and top scorer, he’s a fantastic footballer, supported by great attitude day by day.
“Compared to last year, this year he improved his knowledge, he knows the game really well, how to manage the game and he’s a strong leader in the dressing room and a good friend of mine. We are lucky to have Karim.”
Benzema won the Men’s Player of the Year award, which is decided upon by a jury of club representatives and journalists from a shortlist of 15 players nominated by UEFA’s technical research committee. He edged out colleague Thibaut Courtois and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
Jorginho, who won the 2021 trophy after winning the Champions League with Chelsea and the Euro 2020 with Italy, is followed by Benzema.
The France forward has received comparatively few individual awards despite having an illustrious career that included five Champions League victories and four La Liga crowns in 13 years with Real Madrid.
He came in fourth place in the 2021 Ballon d’Or voting, trailing only Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Jorginho. However, he is the front-runner to win the 2022 award when France Football announces the winner in October.
