Thierry Henry had a very direct message for France Football, the organisers of the Ballon d'Or, after Real Madrid's Champions League win on Saturday night.
No one expected Real to even be in the final in Paris, especially not Jamie Carragher who had to pay out after completely ruling them out months ago.
Advert
Carlo Ancelotti's team might be the most successful team in the competition's history but having to come from behind against PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City, before facing a Liverpool side who'd barely lost all season, made them huge underdogs all the way through.
At times throughout 2022, Karim Benzema seemed like the single reason that Real were remaining in the Champions League and, even though he didn't impact the final the way he'd have liked to, he's been tipped to win the Ballon d'Or for months.
Now Henry has called on French magazine France Football, who organise the award, to just stop the votes and give it to Benzema, and frankly it's impossible to disagree with him.
There has been changes to the award this year, which names the best player in the world, which makes it even more likely that Benzema will win.
Advert
Firstly, the fact that the trophy is now handed out season on season, rather than at the end of the year, meaning all the performances that will be counted have pretty much been played and the World Cup isn't included.
Also it is set to focus more on individual displays rather than what's been won, and whilst winning the Champions League might seem like it doesn't matter, in this sense it also helps him.
The French striker's performances in helping to get Real to the final in the first place were probably enough to make him favourite, and winning the competition just ends the debate.
The 34-year-old scored a tie winning hat-trick, in 17 minutes, against PSG, a hat-trick in the first leg against Chelsea and then extra time winners against the Blues and Manchester City, on the way to the final.
Former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Steve McManaman agrees with Henry that Benzema should win the award for the first time, and become just the second player since 2008 who isn't Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win it.
Advert
Speaking exclusively to SPORTbible, before the final, the pundit said that the award winner would be decided by the match at the Stade de France.
"I think if they win the Champions League he deserves it," McManaman said about Benzema.
"I think if Liverpool win it Salah or Mane should get it."
Featured Image Credit: CBSTopics: Ballon d'Or, Champions League, La Liga, Real Madrid, Karim Benzema, Thierry Henry
