In pictures: Kopa, Platini, Papin, Zidane and now Benzema… The French Ballons d'Or

Kopa, Platini, Papin, Zidane and now Benzema.

The Real Madrid striker joined the closed circle of the French Ballons d'Or, becoming the oldest French winner to receive this consecration, Monday evening in Paris.

Raymon Kopa in 1958, Michel Patini in 1983, 1984, and 1985, Jean-Pierre Papin in 1991, and Zinédine Zidane in 1998… a look back, in pictures, at these legends of French football who won the precious trophy.

Directed by:

• The first star of French football, Raymond Kopa won three European Cups for champion clubs, the ancestor of the Champions League, in 1957, 1958 and 1959 with Real Madrid.

• Best player in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, he led the Blues with Just Fontaine to third place, after losing to Pelé's Brazil in the semi-finals (5-2).

• Trophy created in 1956 by journalists from

  France Football

  to reward the best European player playing in Europe, the Golden Ball went to Raymond Kopa in 1958. Since 2018, the trophy bearing the name of the former winger, who died in 2017, rewards the world's best hope in football under the age of 21.

• It took 25 years to see a Frenchman at the top of European football again.

  This is Michel Platini who won his first Ballon d'Or at the end of 1983, during his second season at Juventus in Turin.

• The following year, Michel Platini flew over Euro-1984 in France by scoring 9 goals in 5 games, a record.

• Thanks to him, the French team won its first international trophy in a collective sport.

  Individually, the French pocketed his second Ballon d'Or at the end of the year.

• On May 29, 1985, in Brussels, Michel Platini scored the only goal in the final of the European Cup of Champions Clubs against Liverpool in the Heysel stadium, of which we know the tragic history of the supporters in the stands.

  The Frenchman finished top scorer in the competition with seven goals and won his first C1.

• At the end of the year, Michel Platini was awarded a third Ballon d'Or.

  He is the first player to win three successive trophies (1983, 1984, 1985), well before Lionel Messi who will win four in a row from 2009 to 2012.

• In 1991, Jean-Pierre Papin panicked the counters with the number of goals he scored in the jersey of Olympique de Marseille and in the France team.

• C1 finalist and top scorer in the competition with six goals, Jean-Pierre Papin became the third Frenchman to win the Ballon d'Or in 1991.

• In 1998, the French Zinédine Zidane definitely changes dimension on a certain July 12 at the Stade de France.

• Thanks to its double header, the France team became world football champions for the first time in its history by beating Brazil in the final (3-0).

• That year, he also won his second Italian league title with Juventus and was a C1 finalist.

  He naturally pocketed the Golden Ball in December for the best player playing in Europe.

  Indeed, non-European players playing in a club in Europe have been eligible for the Ballon d'Or since 1995.

• In 2022, Karim Benzema once again becomes Spanish champion with Real Madrid.

  The French, top scorer in the championship with 27 goals, is named best player of the competition.

• He won a fifth Champions League with Real Madrid by beating Liverpool (0-1) on May 28 at the Stade de France.

  With 15 goals, Karim Benzema is the competition's top scorer and is named best player.

• Kopa, Platini, Papin, Zidane and now Benzema.

  The Real Madrid striker joined the closed circle of the French Ballons d'Or on Monday, October 17, 2022.

  The trophy was presented to him by another French football legend and former winner Zinedine Zidane.

  
  

• Ballon d'Or

• Slideshow

• France football team

• Soccer

• French

• Karim Benzema

• Michael Platini

• real Madrid

• Zinedine Zidane