Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and five other players were given a humbling as they received no votes at the 2022 Ballon d'Or awards.
To no one's surprise, Karim Benzema deservedly claimed the grand prize at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris thanks to his spectacular season for Real Madrid. Sports journalists from around the world, as well as the captains and coaches of international teams under FIFA 's jurisdiction, voted on the 2021-22 campaign - the first time that a Ballon d'Or has been awarded on the basis of a single season.
For Nunez, he enjoyed a star-making 12 months for Benfica before sealing a £68million transfer to Liverpool in June. The Uruguayan bagged a superb 26 goals in just 28 Primeira Liga matches while still playing his football in Lisbon, and managed six strikes in 10 Champions League games. Nunez's explosive campaign wasn't enough to convince voters, though - even if he did get one over on reigning champ Lionel Messi, who wasn't even nominated this time around.
