Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane has lauded his compatriot Karim Benzema as the greatest-ever striker from France.
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Benzema's astonishing 2021/22 campaign, during which he scored 44 goals and provided 15 assists for Real, was rewarded when the 34-year-old received the 66th Ballon d'Or on Monday night, with the Lyon native becoming the oldest winner of the illustrious individual award in football since 1956.
The person who handed the accolade to Benzema at the ceremony was none other than France legend Zidane, and after the formalities, he showered the Los Blancos captain with massive praise, saying he is the greatest-ever striker from the home of the two-time FIFA World Cup winners.
"The best striker in the history of French football? Everyone has their favourite player," Zidane stated, as per Goal.
"Some people will tell you it's Jean-Pierre Papin with his exceptional goals, others will talk about Michel Platini.
"For me, it's Karim, yes, because I've been around him and I know what he's worth. In any case, he deserves to be very high.
"I wish him to continue for a long time to go for records and to shine on the field, with Real Madrid and with the French team. He is capable of going even higher."
Benzema has become only the fifth Frenchman to hold the Ballon d'Or aloft and the first since Zidane won it 24 years ago.
The former playmaker put Benzema ahead of the likes of Thierry Henry, France's all-time leading goalscorer, and while the Arsenal legend was never able to get his hands on the Ballon d'Or, he played a big part in Les Bleus reaching the finals of three major international competitions (the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 2000 European Championship and the 2006 FIFA World Cup), winning two of them.
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Benzema did miss out on France's FIFA World Cup triumph in Russia four years ago due to an exile from the national team, so the Real talisman will be looking to cement his place in his home country's history books when they look to retain their world title in Qatar later this year.
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