Ballon d’Or 2022 / LIVE: The expected coronation of Karim Benzema, rankings, reactions

This Monday evening, and barring a dramatic turnaround, France will win its first Ballon d’Or since 1998 and Zinédine Zidane. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) was thus to be crowned while the women’s fight is between Alexia Putellas and Beth Mead. Follow live with us the whole Ballon d’Or ceremony with the different prizes (Kopa, Socrates, etc..). Rankings, reactions, our analyses, you won’t miss a thing!

The classification of the Ballon d’Or 2022

8th: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid / Brazil)

Decisive scorer in the C1 final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, the Brazilian has continued to gain momentum throughout the season. The one who was decried for his finish was able to progress in all areas, ahead of a full-fledged holder from Real Madrid. But if he has become a real goalscorer, “Vini” is also a hell of a passer, since he delivered 22 assists in all competitions in 2021-2022.

9e : Luka Modric (Real Madrid / Croatia)

The 2018 winner is here. Playing master of Real Madrid, Modric won his fifth Champions League last May with the Merengue (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022), and still in the role of the protagonist. In the midfield, there is him and the others. Always so happy with his artist and his outside of the foot, the Madrid management has logically decided to extend his contract, just to make the pleasure last.

10e : Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund / Manchester City / Norvège)

This is his first entry into the top 10. And certainly not his last. After having exploded all the statistics with Borussia Dortmund (86 goals in 89 matches) in recent seasons, the Norwegian joined Manchester City during the last transfer window. With 20 achievements in 14 meetings, we can say that the story begins rather well for the prodigal son. To the point that a petition was even recently launched to demand his exclusion from the Premier League. The reason ? More than a human, he would be a robot…

11e : Son Heung-min (South Korea / Tottenham)

24 goals, 45 matches: the Tottenham striker again achieved prowess last season. With Harry Kane, his buddy in attack, he continues to form a more than formidable duo. Spurs fans love him and we know why.

12e : Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City / Algeria)

Champion of England with Manchester City, semi-finalist of the Champions League, Riyad Mahrez has had a successful full season individually. 29 goals scored in total, including 11 in the Premier League, the 31-year-old Algerian could have aimed for more without Algeria’s failure at CAN (elimination in the first round).

13e : Sebastien Haller (Ajax Amsterdam / Borussia Dortmund / Ivory Coast)

14e : Fabinho (Liverpool / Brazil)

The former Monegasque is a cornerstone of the Reds’ midfield. Fabinho had never played so much with the Reds since joining the club. His season is rewarded with a fine 14th place at the Ballon d’Or.

14e : Rafael Leão (AC Milan / Portugal)

Voted best player in Serie A last season, Rafael Leao ranks 14th in the Ballon d’Or 2022. A nice reward for the Portuguese international from AC Milan, who greatly contributed to the quest for the Rossoneri scudetto during the previous exercise. If the former Lille resident has passed a milestone in his career, he can thank a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

16e : Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool / Pays-Bas)

Liverpool boss. The Dutch defender could notably boast of 21 clean sheets in the Premier League out of a total of 34 matches. Last season, and despite a defeat in the C1 final, he once again proved to be imperial for his team.

17e : casemiro tied (Real Madrid – Manchester United / Brazil)

If Real Madrid won the Champions League, it obviously owes it to Karim Benzema, who we’ll talk about later, but also to Casemiro. In the shadows, the Brazilian stabilized the Madrid midfielder before trying his luck at Manchester United.

17e : Dusan Vlahovic equal (Juventus / Serbia)

Having left for Juventus last January, Dusan Vlahovic is considered one of Serie A’s greatest hopes. At only 22, the Serbian striker, who passed through Fiorentina, where he exploded, is today the one of the attractions of the Italian championship.

17e : Luis Diaz ex æquo (FC Porto/Liverpool / Colombie)

Author of 16 goals and 6 assists in 28 matches with Porto last season, Luis Diaz had caught the eye of Liverpool, who spent no less than 60 million euros to secure his services last summer. His dribbling and acceleration are his main weapons.

20e : Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United / Portugal)

Twentieth in 2005, twentieth in 2022: the circle may not be complete, but it looks like it. Cristiano Ronaldo, accustomed to awards and podium places, has fallen from his pedestal due to a rocky season.

21e : Harry Kane (Tottenham / Angleterre)

Harry Kane did not have the best season of his career in 2021/2022, far from it. But the Englishman ranks 21st in the 2022 Ballon d’Or ranking. Author of 17 goals and 9 assists in the Premier League, Kane has dispatched current affairs.

22e : Trent Alexander-Arnold from a tie (Liverpool / England)

The British international is still considered one of the best in his position. Without him, it is not certain that Liverpool would have amassed so many trophies last season. Admittedly, the Salah-Mané-Firmino trio has often taken light and glory, but “TAA” cannot be forgotten when talking about the Reds’ return to the front of the stage.

22e : Phil Foden from the tie (Manchester City / Angleterre)

Another prominent member of City: Phil Foden. The young Englishman scored 9 times in the Premier League and continued to progress. Voted best youngster in the Premier League and named to the list of the best players in the championship, Foden continues his race forward, irresistible.

22e : Bernard Silva ex æquo (Manchester City / Portugal)

The talented Portuguese is still essential. We talked about him in Barcelona last summer, he finally stayed after his best statistical season with City (11 goals in all competitions). He greatly participated in the national coronation of Manchester.

25e : Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich / Germany)

Bayern Munich’s handyman. Versatile, the side turned midfielder at Bayern Munich excels wherever he plays. At 27, the native of Rottweil is also a captain of the Mannschaft. His record is already well provided, including a Champions League and seven Bundesliga titles.

25e : Mike Maignan equal (AC Milan / France)

Arrived in the summer of 2021 at AC Milan, Mike Maignan inherited a heavy succession: that of Gianluigi Donnarumma. Almost unknown at the time of landing in Lombardy, the French goalkeeper has become, in the space of a season, one of the darlings of the Milanese public. Decisive with his saves, a leader thanks to his charisma, the former LOSC goalkeeper impresses everyone in Italy. And so here he is in 25th place in the Ballon d’Or ranking.

25e : Christopher Nkunku equal (Leipzig / France)

Author of 35 goals in 52 matches last season, Christopher Nkunku continues to pile up the goals with Leipzig. Promised to leave for Chelsea next summer, the French striker is torturing the defenses of the Bundesliga by combining all his qualities: percussion, speed, finishing… Trained at PSG, the French international now hopes to be on the trip to Qatar with the Blues, where the World Cup starts in just over a month. In the meantime, here he is 25th in the standings.

25e : Darwin Nunez equal (Benfica / Liverpool / Uruguay)

Transferred last summer to Liverpool for 90 million euros (bonus included), the Uruguayan striker revealed himself to Benfica. With his profile and his performance, especially in the Champions League, Nunez was able to seduce the Reds, who did not hesitate to take out the checkbook to recruit him. An investment for the present but above all for the future.

25e : João Cancelo ex æquo (Manchester City / Portugal)

At the heart of an improbable exchange between Juventus and Manchester City in the summer of 2019, which saw Danilo go the opposite way towards Turin, João Cancelo has had a blast since at City. Under the orders of Guardiola, the Portuguese side has evolved its register and its palette. Brilliant, technically comfortable, we are talking about a total player who knows how to do everything with the ball.

25e : Antonio Rudiger tied (Chelsea / Real Madrid / Germany)

He’s an old-school defender. Always hard on the man, rough and lively, the German was one of the figures of Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea. To the point that Real Madrid decided to recruit him during the last transfer window to strengthen their defensive sector. He also possesses the soul of a true leader.