Ancelotti’s Benzema Ballon d’Or prediction is coming true

While the media in Madrid pushed hard for Karim Benzema to win the 2021 Ballon d’Or award, that was always going to be unlikely and the French striker ultimately finished fourth, not even making the podium. For Benzema fans, that was a disappointing outcome and some thought that his best ever chance of lifting that individual prize was gone. But, not his coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian coach made a prediction at the start of this current season that few shared at the time. He explained that Benzema might have even better opportunities to win the Ballon d’Or in the future than in 2021.

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As Ancelotti explained back in September 2021: “I think that because of what he’s doing now and what he did last season, he has to be on that shortlist of players who can win the 2021 Ballon d’Or. But, he has time to win it as this won’t be his last good year. He’s like a fine wine.”

Later in 2021, after the results had been announced, Ancelotti elaborated further, saying: “I hope a Real Madrid player can win it next year. Benzema had a great year and was fourth this time. He’ll remain motivated to work, train and play hard to try to win it next year. Vinícius also has all the quality to fight to win it one day. There are many candidates in the Real Madrid squad. We have Courtois too, although it is difficult for a goalkeeper to win it. But, neither Benzema nor Courtois cried today because they didn’t win a prize last night.”

Benzema is the clear favourite for the 2022 Ballon d’Or

Fast forward to May 2022 and Benzema is the leading candidate to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or. He may not have scored in the Champions League final, but his tournament-leading 15 goals led Real Madrid to their 14th European Cup, with the striker showing he can achieve success on the continent without Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale alongside him.

With back-to-back hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea and a brace away to Manchester City in the semi-final first-leg of the same competition, Benzema inspired Real Madrid on a remarkable run. He then scored the penalty that booked the trip to Paris and had a goal ruled out against Liverpool for a dubious offside.

Benzema also won the first Pichichi award of his career as the top scorer in LaLiga Santander, netting 27 times, so it's clear the centre-forward had the best season of his career so far.

With the Ballon d’Or having now become a season-long award, rather than one for the calendar year, Benzema is the clear favourite. He really could win the Ballon d’Or for 2022, something Ancelotti predicted all the way back in September, when most felt it was 2021 or bust.