Karim Benzema wins award for best French player abroad
The Real Madrid striker won the award ahead of the likes of Kante and Griezmann, following a successful goalscoring season, topped only by Messi.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has won the award for the best French player plying his trade outside of France. The prize is decided by the country's Unión Nacional de Futbolistas Profesionales (UNFP).
Benzema best abroad
The forward has been one of the few bright spots for the Spanish giants in what has been a very disappointing season for Julen Lopetegui's, Santiago Solari's and latterly Zinedine Zidane's men. Despite the side's troubles, Benzema ended the season as second top scorer in the league, behind Barcelona's Lionel Messi, on 21 goals.
Back in 2008 Benzema won the UNFP award for best player in the French league while at Lyon. That catapulted his career and saw him sign for Los Blancos the following season. Other players that were in the running for this year's best player abroad included Chelsea's N'Golo Kante and Atlético Madrid's Antoine Griezmann, winners of the previous three.