Skip to main content

Benzema named French Player of the Year

  • Author:
  • Publish date:
Karim Benzema and Real Madrid are in third place in La Liga.

Karim Benzema and Real Madrid are in third place in La Liga.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been voted the best French footballer for 2012, winning the award for the second consecutive year, the Spanish club said on Tuesday.

Former France international Zinedine Zidane presented the 24-year-old with the trophy at Real's Bernabeu stadium.

"It is an honour to receive it from Zidane because for me he is the best French footballer ever," Benzema told the club website (www.realmadrid.com).

Benzema won the award, organised by France Football, ahead of Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in voting carried out by a panel of former winners, including Zidane.

The former Olympique Lyon striker scored 21 goals in La Liga last term, helping Real win the title, and seven in the Champions League where they fell to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.

He has struggled to find the same form this season and has netted only three times in the league, missing their 2-2 draw at home to Espanyol on Sunday with a foot problem.

© 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.