PARIS—Real Madrid’s France forward Karim Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d'Or award for the best men’s player in the world on Oct. 17, while Barcelona’s Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women’s award for a second time.
Benzema, who played a pivotal role in Real’s run to the Champions League title last season, is the first French player to win the trophy since Zinedine Zidane in 1998 and the fifth after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini and Jean-Pierre Papin.
