"This Ballon d'Or is individual, but it remains collective, it's the people's Ballon d'Or", launched the winner of the 66th trophy awarded by France Football magazine.

"To see (this trophy) in front of me is a source of pride. I think back to when I was little, all the work, I never gave up. It's a childhood dream, I grew up with it in the head", added "Benz'", with "two models in my life, Zizou (crowned in 1998, editor's note) and Ronaldo (the Brazilian, Ballon d'Or 1997 and 2002)".

Discarded from the France team between 2015 and 2021, Benzema thought back to "those times when it was difficult for the whole family", speaking to his parents in the Châtelet theater hall, moments which "have not only strengthens me mentally".

But this award obtained by only four Frenchmen before him, Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1983, 1984 and 1985) and Jean-Pierre Papin (1991) in addition to ZZ, does not represent revenge.

"No, revenge doesn't get you ahead," he told AFP, "it's just courage and ambition."

"We must not stay on the failures", he developed.

"You keep them, you think about them, but it's mental strength for me, not remorse. What happened happened, but the most important thing is today."

"Zizou a big brother"

"It's a lot of work," insisted Benzema, speaking of "training even more and always keeping this dream in mind. There were times when it was much more difficult for me, those times when I was not in selection, where I did not let go with my coach here", namely Zidane, his former coach at Real.

Zidane "constantly told me to keep this joy of playing football, that one day I could win this trophy. I'm really proud of my journey", underlined the 34-year-old player.

"Zizou is a big brother, he was my coach, it does something" to receive the trophy from the hands of "the best French player of all time for me", said the winner to AFP.

Karim Benzema, Ballon d'Or 2022, and Zinédine Zidane, October 17, 2022 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris FRANCK FIFE AFP

He also thanked "all (his) teammates at Real Madrid or in selection" and his current coach;

Carlo Ancelotti.

He also greeted the "great president" of the Madrid club, Florentino Pérez, present in the room: "He is like someone in my family. The day I signed for Madrid, he moved up to home. He's always been straight with me."

"I do not forget Monsieur (Jean-Michel) Aulas (president of Lyon, editor's note) who is there, nor the whole Lyon academy. Without them I could not have realized my dream of signing in Madrid", still started the player from Bron, in the Lyon suburbs, who learned his skills at OL before leaving for Madrid in 2009.

"It's the first time for me, I'm happy, satisfied with my work, I'll continue like this," Benzema concluded.

© 2022 AFP