"I've never been so close to winning it" - Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema reflects on his Ballon d'Or chances
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is one of the top candidates to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or following his impressive displays for club and country.
The Frenchman, who was recently included on the 30-man shortlist for the award, has discussed his chances of winning it. He said of his Ballon d'Or ambitions:
"It's been a dream since I was really young. It is a motivation, too. Just to make it onto the list of 30 nominees is already satisfying. It has always been an objective, always in the back of my mind. When Cristiano Ronaldo won it in the past and got it on the pitch at the Bernabeu, I was happy for him, of course."
🎙| Karim Benzema: "Ballon D'Or has been a dream since I was young and also a motivation. It represents the best players in the world and it's great to be on the list, if you look at who's there, it's very satisfying. It has always been a goal." @LaurensJulien https://t.co/naiRr6QkOT
"Happy to be in his team and then you have to think: ah yes, I want to win it too. I can say that I've never been so close to winning it thanks to my performances, what I've been doing in the past three or four years here."
Zidane believes Benzema deserves the Ballon d'Or 👀 https://t.co/fiX3fMLjI4
The Real Madrid star added:
"On passes, on movement, on actions, on controls, on runs, that's what I am loving the most. In the past three or four years there is this consistency, especially in big games, when my team needs me, I am always there, helping them. That's what fulfils me the most. I play freely, I play the football I love."
The statistics behind Karim Benzema's Ballon d'Or push
It's been a spectacular year for Karim Benzema, and it's easy to see why he is in contention for the Ballon d'Or.
The striker was Real Madrid's best player last season, contributing a whopping 30 goals and nine assists for the club in 46 appearances across all competitions.
The 33-year-old also enjoyed a splendid outing with France, scoring four goals for his country at the Euros. He then led the team to claim the UEFA Nations League with two goals to his name.
It remains to be seen if those numbers will be enough for him to win the race for the Ballon d'Or this year.