Every year, since 1956, “France Football” has given out awards for the best football players in the world. The blood, sweat and tears that these players have shed over this beautiful game are supposedly acknowledged during this event. However, as of recent years, the award ceremony has been surrounded by much controversy. Statistics do not tell the whole story when evaluating a player’s impact. The award should be mostly centered around the player’s qualitative performance, but this is not the case in many instances.
An example of this is Franck Ribéry and the 2013 Ballon d’Or award. The Frenchman, although statistically less impressive than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, was far more deserving than either of the two phenoms due to his quality of play. Ribéry ended up finishing third in the race. Some attributed this to popularity, of which Ronaldo and Messi have an overwhelmingly large advantage. In recent years, the award has grown into a popularity contest.
“France Football” doesn’t get decisions wrong all the time, though. While I do have some reservations about this year’s Ballon d’Or, I agree with the results of the individual winners.
Ballon d’Or: Karim Benzema
The award with the most talk around it is the Ballon d’Or. Given to the best player of the previous season, it is considered the biggest individual accomplishment in all of football. This year, the top three were Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and Kevin De Bruyne.
Karim Benzema had an amazing season. In addition to his impressive goal tally, fans could see the impact he had on a relatively young Real Madrid team. Taking the role of a 9, he developed into a clinical striker and playmaker who was able to make opportunities and space out of nothing. He also helped Madrid win the treble, clinching the Champions League, Supercopa de Espana and the La Liga titles.
No other player in the world accomplished as much as Benzema. Now out of Ronaldo’s shadow, he has grown into the center and foundation of the best team in the world.
Ballon d’Or Féminin: Alexia Putellas
There are no complaints here. Alexia Putellas is by far the best female footballer on the planet, winning the award in back-to-back years. The way she can control the game is nothing short of majestic, orchestrating the Barcelona attack with flair and efficiency. In the past two years, no one has come close to her.
Yashin Trophy: Thibaut Courtois
Awarded to the best goalkeeper in the past season, the Yashin Trophy had to be awarded to Thibaut Courtois. The teammate of Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, Courtois also took part in the successful Real Madrid 2021-22 campaign. A brick wall in the net and a true commander of his defense, Courtois was outstanding in his performances throughout the year. This was put on display for all to see in the Champions League final, where his efforts stopped Ballon d’Or runner-up Sadio Mane from notching a goal for Liverpool.
Gerd Müller Trophy: Robert Lewandowski
The Gerd Müller award, which is given to the title of best striker, was awarded to Robert Lewandowski, who was also deserving of the title. He arguably would’ve won the 2020-21 Ballon d’Or had it not been canceled due to the pandemic. Lewandowski has consistently been one of the top strikers in the world for as long as I can remember. From his tenures in the Bundesliga to his current domination of La Liga with Barcelona, Lewandowski has always had his eyes locked on the goal and was by far the best striker of this previous year.
Kopa Trophy: Gavi
The Kopa Trophy, or the “Golden Boy” trophy, is awarded to the best footballer under the age of 21. The winner of this year’s award was Gavi, who has been a regular in the Barcelona midfield since he was 17 years old.
Many say that Gavi’s calm presence in the midfield has been one of the main reasons why Barcelona has still experienced some success in the post-Messi era. However, I do have my reservations about this result. It is not that Gavi is undeserving, but I simply believe others are just as, if not more deserving.
The first example that comes to mind is the English midfielder Jude Bellingham. Bellingham is simply different gravy. Despite only being 19 years old, he plays like an experienced veteran in the middle of the park for Borussia Dortmund. He always makes the right decisions, continues play and can even be the finisher at the end. Overall, I believe that Bellingham could be considered a more deserving winner of the Kopa Trophy.
Another contender is forward Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich. Musiala has been central to the future of football conversation for a while now, but he hasn’t shown his full potential until last season. With the help of a veteran presence in the Bayern squad, Musiala is the guy that can make the critical pass, push the tempo of attack and find the small openings in the defense. These skills are on display this year, too, where his play in the Champions League is nothing short of marvelous. Due to this, Musiala could also be considered the “Golden Boy.”
