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Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has talked up Karim Benzema's Ballon d'Or chances, with the Frenchman currently in stunning form for club and country.
Having coached Benzema during his Real Madrid stint, Zidane told Telefoot that the veteran striker is an incredible player who can do pretty much everything on the pitch.
"Benzema deserves to win this Ballon d'Or. He is an incredible player, I had the great honor of coaching him. He can do everything on the pitch. He is on top, and I hope that he could be awarded the Ballon d'Or."
Benzema was named on the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist earlier this month and enhanced his credentials by winning the UEFA Nations League with France, as he got his hands on his first international trophy. The 33-year-old is one of the leading candidates for the Ballon d'Or, but the likes of Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho are also in the running, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah are expected to be named in the top ten.
Ballon d'Or has always been an objective, says Benzema
Benzema has already notched up ten goals and seven assists across all competitions for Real Madrid and looks set to be a key player for Los Blancos. Speaking to ESPN earlier this month, the 33-year-old talked up his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or and revealed that it's always been one of his objectives.
"It's been a dream since I was young and also a motivation. The Ballon d'Or represents the best players in the world and [it's great] to be on the list. If you count who's on there, it's very satisfying. It's always been an objective."
"Yes, you could say that. What I've done for the last three to four years, to continue to perform at a high level. When I'm playing I don't think about the Ballon d'Or. I think about helping the team win, providing a spectacle."
"The Ballon d'Or comes as a result of that because it's more of an individual focus, but it's all about the collective."
Benzema has been tipped to win the Ballon d'Or by Zinedine Zidane and a few other notable figures of the beautiful game, but only time will tell if he manages to get his hands on the prized accolade.
