Karim Benzema - BIG Ballon d'Or 2022 campaign

I genuinely just forgot we actually gonna have Euros this summer?

I believe that any titles or awards this season and last will be viewed in the future with an asterisk. Sub standard play due to the covid years!

Casciavit wrote:

rincon wrote:

BarcaLearning wrote:Betting odds are usually a good guide on the favourites, as least reputation ones. but wtf is Bruno Fernandez and Ronaldo doing on that list

Benzema scoring more goals in his 30s than in his 20s rate He really stepped aside to let Ronaldo be the main scorer, otherwise he might have got even more eariler on.

What is Messi doing in that list then?

Ronaldo has like 35 goals this season and its not like we have been playing well and scoring tons.

I think the days of Ronaldo and Messi being the obvious top two are past. Now we have "normal" BdO seasons again.

He's been on good form in 2021 especially in terms of goalscoring, but I can't see someone who got knocked out in the CL R16 winning it. Maybe if Chelsea wins the CL and he wins La Liga and Copa America?

Who I think teams will rally behind for a Ballon d'or campaign depending on who wins the CL:
PSG - Mbappe
City - KDB
Madrid - Benz
Chelsea - No one is going to win it from there

Even if Madrid wins, Benzema's lack of involvement in the Euros might hurt him. If France wins Euros and Mbappe has a standout tournament he probably becomes favorite even if PSG doesn't win the CL. The only way I see an underdog player winning it is if their team won the CL and they were an important member and if they win player of the tournament at Euros ala Modric (in his case WC) in 2018.

Euros will play the biggest role I think.

De Bruyne doesn't deserve it more than other candidates from his season at City, but he will win it if he has a good tournament with Belgium. Same with Mbappe, Ronaldo, Lewandowski. Benzema isn't winning the BdO without going to the euros.

Same argument for Messi and Neymar in the copa America.

Obviously, Benzema (despite 2 goals) is the biggest scapegoat in France media after they got eliminated from Euro 2020 by Switzerland.

#FRASUI : "Didier Deschamps a payé tout au long de l'Euro le fait d'avoir sélectionné Karim Benzema, il est revenu trop tard dans cette équipe", estime @PhilSANFOURCHE dans #RTLMatin pic.twitter.com/36ossIEySp

— RTL France (@RTLFrance) June 29, 2021

Sanfourche Philippe: "Deschamps paid the price for taking Karim Benzema, it was too late for him to be integrated into the squad"

Doubt the media is only blaming Benz, who happened to be their only consistent goalscorer in the entire tournament for France. Put it on Mbappe who did close to nothing all tournament and missed the final penalty.

lol France media can piss off with that bullshit

When Benz had to be taken off, it seemed like they had absolutely zero chance of scoring. Him playing seemed to be covering over the lack of clear direction of offence principles from my point of view.

When he left and Griezmann was already not on the field, they were not threatening at all and all they could muster was some speculative Sissoko efforts, Coman solo play and crosses into Giroud.

The French media needs to look at the main architect for their nonsense: Didier Deschamps.

Mbappe was the biggest underperformer in this game, which was just strange. France just didnt give 100% like they should have and defended no where near as well as they have in the previous games, vs a not that spectacular Swiss side too...

Their goes any chance for any French players for the Ballon D'or this year.

[BFM TV] The Karim Benzema miracle didn't happen in Switzerland game

Selon BFM, Benzema est l’élément qui est venu perturber l’EDF dans son tournoi. On s’y attendait. Ils n’ont pas traîné. #FRA #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/3dzcWiAYJK

— ARRETS DE JEU (@arretsdejeu10_) June 29, 2021

He’s algerian, so of course the French media will criticize him. They fucking turn on you as soon as you do ONE wrong thing and your last name is Arabic or Berber. Sorry to make this a racial issue, but it’s true. The defense was shaky all tournament and that was the difference between France before and now

Are the French media really blaming Benzema?

Nah they're too busy blaming mbappe

from what i've heard they're blaming mbappe for his poor tournament, and deschamps for not sticking with the same team he had from the last world cup.....even though the same media folks were calling themselves champions before the tournament even started. other media outlets talking about rabiot moms drama and off field issue......that would never have been brought up if switzerland didnt go out there and play with huge guts .

Time for 3rd attempt at this

Let's go Benzizou

8 goals and 7 assists in 6 league matches

Most Goals + Assists for clubs & country in 2021

50 - Lewandowski (44+6)
47 - Messi (33+14)
45 - Halaand (36+9)
42 - Memphis (28+14)
40 - Mbappe (32+
36 - Lukaku (26+10)
34 - Moreno (23+11)
33 - Griezmann (23+10)
33 - Cristiano (29+4)

pic.twitter.com/ItcAe81xeK

— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) September 8, 2021

I dont see benzema???

He had 32 goals plus assists by September the 8th when that tweet was generated. Weird because we played our first game on the 9th after all the other leagues. The goals he scored in that game would've put him above Ronaldo, Moreno, Griezmann and level with Lukaku

Can't take a list like that seriously without Big Benz

I think what makes Karim's numbers impressive is that Real Madrid in last 2-3 years has been absolutely garbage going forward. he was the one carrying the team. Wingers and midfielders were no help. we created way less chances per game as for example Bayern or Barca.

If a forwards job is creating AND scoring his numbers will reduce. but if your job is only scoring and the team creates chances for you left and right then your job to score goals will be way easier.

that's why i appreciate players like Benzema and Messi more compared to Ronaldo and Lewa.

Mamad wrote:I think what makes Karim's numbers impressive is that Real Madrid in last 2-3 years has been absolutely garbage going forward. he was the one carrying the team. Wingers and midfielders were no help. we created way less chances per game as for example Bayern or Barca.

If a forwards job is creating AND scoring his numbers will reduce. but if your job is only scoring and the team creates chances for you left and right then your job to score goals will be way easier.

that's why i appreciate players like Benzema and Messi more compared to Ronaldo and Lewa.

Benzema has arguably the best midfield in the world behind him...

Varnagel wrote:

Mamad wrote:I think what makes Karim's numbers impressive is that Real Madrid in last 2-3 years has been absolutely garbage going forward. he was the one carrying the team. Wingers and midfielders were no help. we created way less chances per game as for example Bayern or Barca.

If a forwards job is creating AND scoring his numbers will reduce. but if your job is only scoring and the team creates chances for you left and right then your job to score goals will be way easier.

that's why i appreciate players like Benzema and Messi more compared to Ronaldo and Lewa.

Benzema has arguably the best midfield in the world behind him...

When healthy and in-form, which hasn't happened a lot in the past 3 seasons.  Their tendency was to be injured and/or start very poorly.. and then get it together in the 2nd half of the season.  Karim has carried the team throughout.  With or without the midfield 3, it's been "no Benzema, no goals".

he was close to save us from the defeat . again.

Benzema Has scored 72 goals in CL. 71 from open play. 1 penalty.
Lewa has 13 penalties, Messi 16, Ronaldo 19.

time to recognize the goat .

His nation league's performances against Belgium and Spain have made him the BDO frontrunner imo.

What a 2022 he's having. Just does everything.

He has 66/1 odds for the 2021 Ballon d'or. It seems clear that the top 3 will be Messi, Jorginho, and Lewandowski. None of those are clear favourites, but it will probably come down to Messi vs Jorginho. Jorginho has the trophy argument while Messi has memorable moments going for him. Jorginho isn't impressive enough individually to sway enough individual voters to vote for him. These voters vote on what they remember the most. Messi was all over the headlines during the summer. Winning Copa America, moving to PSG, and even the classic goal against City. He had his usual 50+ goal year and won CDR with a shit Barca. If he won in 2019 against a more deserving Van Dijk, then I expect him to win this year too. It's definitely one of the more weaker Ballon d'or years.

As for 2022 odds, well Benzema has definitely been amazing individually but no one is going to remember the Nations League when voting. Benz's only chance of winning the Ballon d'or is if he leads Madrid to CL.

I bet you he finishes second behind Messi. I'm calling it here. Since there are a lot of international voters... Messi will get his. Copa America is such a joke with how its organized; but it is what it is.

Benzema literally carries Real Madrid. He was also very good in the Euro and dominant in this tournament.

Calling it now. karim 2nd.