A few months back, the hype around the 2021 Ballon d’Or was huge as there wasn’t a strong favorite to win the award. While somefelt Lionel Messi deserved it, others felt it was time for Robert Lewandowski to receive the coveted prize.
As a matter of fact, the debate continued even after the ceremony, with many people unhappy with the result. This year, the outlook is completelydifferent. The 2022 gala is in October 17, but the winner doesn’t look unpredictable.
Karim Benzema is the obvious frontrunner in this year’s edition, considering that the criteria will be the performances throughout the2021-22 season. Neymar hadn’t picked the Real Madrid star, but even his favorite candidate said the Frenchman will probably be the winner.
Vinicius Jr. admits Karim Benzema is favorite for 2022 Ballon d’Or
“The expectation is that Karim [Benzema] wins the Ballon d’Or after everything he’s done last season and also because of all the effort made by everyone to be at this moment,” Vinicius told TNT Sports Brasil.
“I’m still 22, I have a long career ahead of me to be there just like Karim. I have to keep on working hard,” the Brazilian winger continued. “But Benzema will win the Ballon d’Or this year for sure.”
Vinicius’ comments not only show how mature he is but also reflect what a great teammate Benzema has in the Real Madrid dressing room. Vini also had a great 2021-22 season, scoring the winner in the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool.
In fact, fellow Brazilian Neymar chose Vinicius as thebest player of the season. “[Kylian] Mbappé had a great season, [Karim] Benzema too. Afterwards, I watched very little football this year. But from what I’ve seen, yes, Vinicius Junior,” Neymar said in June.
Vinicius, however, clearly didn’t let any of that go to his head. Hewitnessed how Benzema put Los Blancos on his back throughout the campaign, leading them to a memorable double.At the end of the day, Vini knows that one day he’ll have his moment.