20-Time Grand Slam Winner Nadal Shuns Messi and Ronaldo, Backs Real Madrid Star To Win Ballon d’Or Award
- Rafael Nadal wants Frenchman Karim Benzema to win this year's Ballon d'Or award for his display all year long
- The 20-time Grand Slam winner believes the striker deserved to win the prize as a reward for his commitment to the game
- Benzema will contend with the likes of Ronaldo, Messi and a few others for the award in France next month
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World number five Rafael Nadal has thrown his weight behind Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema to win this year's Ballon d'Or award.
The Spanish professional tennis player overlooked the duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo who are also favourites to win the award before settling the Frenchman.
Both Ronaldo and Messi have won the prestigious award 11 times - with Argentine winning one more than his arch-rival.
Source: UGC
The award which was skipped last year because of COVID-19 will be staged in Paris on November 29, 2021 and the 35-year-old wants Benzema to be rewarded for his outstanding year.
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Rafael Nadal backs Benzema for Ballon d'Or award
Nadal was quoted by Express UK saying:
“My admiration as a player, the commitment to sports and professionalism at his age. Good luck and my support for the 2021 Ballon d’Or goes to Benzema.”
The France international is topping the Spanish League goal scorer's chart with nine goals and seven assists after just nine fixtures so far this campaign.
He was also instrumental to Los Blancos' 2-1 triumph over Barcelona in last weekend's El Clasico first leg at Camp Nou with David Alaba and Lucas Vazquez both finding the back of the net.
Benzema played a key role in his national team winning their first UEFA Nations League title after beating Spain 2-1 in the final of the competition in Italy.
What Mauricio Pochettino said about Ballon d'Or
Briefly News earlier reported that Mauricio Pochettino may have caused division in the Paris Saint Germain dressing room after backing Lionel Messi to win this year's Ballon d'Or award.
The 34-year-old who joined the Parisians on a two-year deal during the summer window was nominated alongside three of his teammates.
Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma are among the 30 players shortlisted to contend for the prestigious prize.
Source: Briefly News
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
Thando Mpembe Thando Mpembe is a sports journalist who has a passion for all things entertainment. In her spare time, Thando enjoys reading and spending time with family. She is an advocate for mental health and believes that a healthy body starts with a healthy mind. Thando holds an Honours Degree in Journalism from the University of Johannesburg. Her favourite quote is "Gentle reminder - you are not for everyone and that is a blessing". Email: thando.mpembe@briefly.co.za
