Ballon d’Or 2022: Who was the winner and top qualifiers? The Full list
Real Madrid’s No. 9 has worked consistently to improve season after season and now, he has deservedly been recognized as the world’s best.
Having seen the curtain come down on the 2022 Ballon d’Or, we take a look at the full list of nominees and of course the winners themselves
The 2022 Ballon d’Or had no surprises and that’s a good thing
On Monday night, France Football presented the 2022 edition of what is the 66th Ballon d’Or award at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Attended by the who’s who of the football world - except maybe Cristiano Ronaldo – those in attendance were treated to the sight of perhaps one of the most deserving recipients of the award in recent memory, Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema. Interestingly, it was the first time since 2005 that seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and Argentine striker Lionel Messi was not nominated for the award.
Now based on a single-season performance as opposed to a whole calendar year - a change announced by France Football back in March - the 2022 Ballon d’Or also saw the continuation of the Gerd Muller Trophy as well as the Club of the Year award which were both given for the first time just last year. With no further ado, we present to you the 2022 Ballon d’Or winners:
| Award | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Gerd Muller Trophy (best striker) | Robert Lewandowski | FC Barcelona |
| Men’s Ballon d’Or (player of the year) | Karim Benzema | Real Madrid |
| Women’s Ballon d’Or (player of the year) | Alexia Putellas | FC Barcelona |
| Club of the Year (most Ballon d’Or nominees) | - | Manchester City |
| Kopa Trophy (best under 21 men’s player) | Gavi | FC Barcelona |
| Yashin Trophy (best men’s goalkeeper) | Thibaut Courtois | Real Madrid |
| Socrates Award (recognizing player acts of solidarity) | Sadio Mane | Bayern Munich |
What was the full list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or?
Make no mistake, whether one wins the award or not, simply being amongst the final nominees for the Ballon d’Or is an incredible honor for any footballer. While there were a few obvious inclusions, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, both former winners of the award, this year’s list of nominees definitely demonstrates the emergence of the next generation. No doubt we will see the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland competing for the award in the very near future. That said, here’s a look at the full list of nominees for the 2022 Ballon d’Or: