Karim Benzema, the French striker for Real Madrid, has been recognized by UEFA as the best player of the 2021/22 Champions League season. The award comes from UEFA’s panel of technical observers, which highlighted his pivotal role in guiding the club to its 14th continental title. This victory adds to Benzema’s growing legacy with Real Madrid since his transfer from Lyon, marking another historic milestone for the club in Europe’s premier competition.
Throughout the campaign, Benzema demonstrated consistent decisive play for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. His contributions helped Real Madrid reach the final and secure the trophy after navigating a challenging route that included top-class performances in the knockout rounds. The French forward, who linked up with the national team’s training camp at Clairefontaine after celebrations at the Santiago Bernabéu, finished the tournament as the top scorer with 15 goals in all competitions related to the Champions League, including ten strikes in the earlier qualifying stages. He produced back-to-back hat-tricks, first against Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16, then against Chelsea in the first leg of the quarter-finals, and continued to score during extra time in the later rounds, delivering a crucial second-leg performance to seal Real Madrid’s advancement in the competition.
Benzema sits in illustrious company in the historical goal-scorer rankings for the Champions League. He is currently third, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with a tally that places him ahead of many notable names and cementing his status among the competition’s all-time greats with 86 goals in the tournament.
The UEFA observers also highlighted the season’s standout lineup. Alongside Benzema, the selection includes Thibaut Courtois, chosen as the best player in the final, Luka Modrić and Vinícius Júnior, who contributed the decisive goal in the final against Liverpool. The XI listed by the observers features Courtois (Real Madrid), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Fabinho (Liverpool), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) and Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid).
In addition to these recognitions, Vinícius Júnior was named the season’s best young player. His campaign included four goals and six assists, a contribution that culminated with his role in the final and his growing influence on the trajectory of Real Madrid’s attack during the tournament.