French president Emmanuel Macron led the flood of tributes after the Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema won the Ballon d'Or - the most prestigious individual accolade in world football.
The 34-year-old Frenchman claimed the prize for his goal scoring feats as his team swept to the Spanish league crown and a 14th crown in European club football's most prestigious competition..
Benzema, who played for his hometown club Lyon in Ligue 1 before moving to Madrid in 2009, beat off the challenges of Bayern Munich's Sadio Mane and the Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
Macron tweeted his congratulations immediately after Benzema's hero and former Ballon d'Or winner Zinedine Zidane handed him the award at a gala ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
KB9 ! 🇫🇷
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 17, 2022
The president added a second message soon after.
Deux lettres et un chiffre qui resteront dans l'Histoire du football. 24 ans après Zidane, Karim @Benzema ramène un nouveau Ballon d'or à la France. Félicitations à lui ! https://t.co/Y8bCJTfLVm
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 17, 2022
“Two letters and a number that will go down in football history. Twenty-four years after Zidane, Karim Benzema brings a new Ballon d’Or to France. Congratulations to him!”
The Spanish sports newspaper As said: "He was seen as Cristiano Ronaldo's partner for years. But now it's his turn to shine."
And the former Madrid star Kaka, who won the prize in 2007, tweeted a picture of the two of them.
Congrats on this well-deserved honor, my friend @Benzema ! Welcome to the team #BallonDor pic.twitter.com/KwtwhYwtke
— Kaka (@KAKA) October 17, 2022
France teammates Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé posted their congratulations to the striker on their Instagram accounts while Carlo Ancelotti, the Madrid coach spoke of his pride at having Benzema and Thibaut Courtois - who won the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper. - in his team.
Es un honor entrenar al mejor portero del mundo y al Balón De Oro.
— Carlo Ancelotti (@MrAncelotti) October 17, 2022
Enhorabuena a mis amigos Thibaut y Karim.#BallonDor pic.twitter.com/xcH7Us1gu0
"It is an honour to coach the best goalkeeper in the world and the Ballon d'Or," tweeted the 63-year-old Italian.
"Congratulations to my friends Thibaut and Karim."
Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 games for his club last season including 15 in the Champions League.
“This prize makes me really proud," said Benzema. "I never gave up, it was a childhood dream. There was a difficult period where I wasn’t in the France team, but I kept working hard. I kept in my head this joy of playing football. I’m really proud of my journey here.”
Benzema is the second oldest winner after a 41-year-old Stanley Matthews lifted the inaugural prize in 1956 and he enters a pantheon that includes stars such as Luis Figo, Marco van Basten, Franz Beckenbauer and fellow Frenchmen Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini and Jean-Pierre Papin.
Alexia Putellas retained her title as the world’s best women’s player after her 18 goals helped Barcelona to the Spanish title,
Barça won all 30 of their league games and also hoisted the Spanish Cup and Super Cup.
“I’m very happy to be back here,” said the 28-year-old Spaniard. “Winning last year pushed me to want to be even better. Without my teammates, this wouldn’t have been possible. I want to thank the coaches and technical staff who help me to improve every day.”
