Karim Benzema voted UEFA player of the year

Karim Benzema has won the 2021/2022 UEFA Player of the year award in a lively event held in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo credit: UEFA)

Real Madrid’s duo of Karim Benzema and Carlo Ancelotti have won the UEFA Men’s player of the year and coach of the year awards respectively after a stellar season that saw them help their team to the champions league trophy last May.

The French striker scored a career-best 15 goals in the champions league was the top scorer in La Liga as Real Madrid won the title comfortably. Highlight of Benzema’s season would arguably be the comeback hattricks against PSG and Chelsea enroute the champions league final.

Ancelotti beat Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp to the award that was held in Istanbul, Turkey on Thursday. The draws for the 2022-2023 champions league group stage was also held at the event.

When asked how he’s been able to stay on top to become the most successful coach in the champions league history, Ancelotti said: "The passion I have for the sport and the quality of the players.

"Last season there was a fantastic connection between the veterans and young ones, there was fantastic chemistry with the supporters that helped us reach an unbelievable achievement."

Benzema beat City’s Kevin De Bruyne and fellow teammate Thibaut Courtois to the award and he isn’t planning to stop as he has started with a bang for the Spanish champions in the two-game-old season that sees Madrid on top already.