The 66th annual Ballon d'Or ceremony in October 2022 crowned Karim Benzema as the best men's footballer of the 2021-22 season. Following a historic campaign that included a La Liga and UEFA Champions League double with Real Madrid, Benzema secured the prestigious golden ball by a landslide voting margin. The final standings reflect a transitional year in global football where elite veterans and unstoppable goalscorers dominated the ballot.
Understanding how the top ten players ranked requires looking past simple trophy counts. Voters evaluated individual brilliance across domestic leagues, continental stages, and international tournaments. Here is a breakdown of the official top ten rankings from that unforgettable year, detailing what earned each star their place among the world's elite.
The Historic Victory: Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema took home the 2022 award with an unprecedented level of dominance, capturing 356 more votes than runner-up Sadio Mané. At 34 years old, the French striker became the second-oldest winner in the history of the award, trailing only Sir Stanley Matthews.
Benzema's campaign was defined by clutch performances in the Champions League knockout stages. He scored 44 goals in 46 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions, including unforgettable hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, plus decisive goals against Manchester City. His leadership on and off the pitch established him as the undisputed talisman of European football that season.
Complete Top 10 Rankings Overview
The rest of the top ten featured a mix of serial winners and players who carried their respective clubs through stellar individual efforts.
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid / France)
- Sadio Mané (Liverpool / Senegal)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City / Belgium)
- Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich / Barcelona / Poland)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool / Egypt)
- Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid / Belgium)
- Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid / Brazil)
- Luka Modrić (Real Madrid / Croatia)
- Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund / Manchester City / Norway)
Breaking Down the Runners-Up
Sadio Mané and Kevin De Bruyne
Sadio Mané finished second after a stellar final season with Liverpool, where he won the League Cup and FA Cup, reached the Champions League final, and famously led Senegal to their first Africa Cup of Nations title while also securing World Cup qualification.
In third place, Kevin De Bruyne remained the metronomic engine of Manchester City's Premier League title-winning side. The Belgian midfielder orchestrated matches with surgical precision, recording double digits in both goals and assists to cement his status as the best playmaker in the world.
Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah
Robert Lewandowski claimed fourth place following another prolific scoring year with Bayern Munich where he bagged 50 goals and won the European Golden Shoe before making his high-profile transfer to Barcelona.
Mohamed Salah rounded out the top five, sharing the Premier League Golden Boot and driving Liverpool's quadruple chase deep into the spring months alongside his teammate Mané.
The Next Generation and Key Contenders
Positions six through ten highlighted players shaping the immediate future of the sport. Kylian Mbappé finished sixth after a domestic campaign in France filled with staggering goalscoring numbers.
Thibaut Courtois took seventh place, a rare and deserved high finish for a goalkeeper. His heroic shot-stopping performance in the Champions League final against Liverpool single-handedly preserved Real Madrid's victory.
Vinícius Júnior landed in eighth, validating his breakout world-class season which included scoring the winner in the Champions League final. Luka Modrić proved that age is just a number, finishing ninth with his tireless midfield control for both club and country.
Erling Haaland rounded out the top ten, splitting his stellar form between Borussia Dortmund and his explosive start at Manchester City.
To review the official voting tallies and historical records, visit the Ballon d'Or Official Site or check detailed archives on Wikipedia's Ballon d'Or Page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2022 Ballon d'Or?
Karim Benzema won the 2022 men's Ballon d'Or following a historic double-winning season with Real Madrid.
How is the Ballon d'Or winner chosen?
A panel of international journalists, one from each of the top-ranking FIFA member nations, votes based on individual performance, team success, class, and fair play over the course of a single European football season.
Why did the 2022 Ballon d'Or change its criteria?
Starting in 2022, the award shifted from assessing players on a calendar-year basis to evaluating them over a standard European club season. This change ensured that major continental tournaments and full domestic leagues were cleanly captured within a single voting cycle.
Who finished second behind Karim Benzema?
Sadio Mané finished in second place, marking the highest ever finish for a Senegalese and African player in the modern voting era.
