Luka Modric has backed Karim Benzema to win the Ballon d’Or this year.
The Ballon d’Or is back this year following the coronavirus pandemic, and there is already plenty of debate over who should win it.
The extended list has already been released and among the favourites are Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Benzema.
Benzema had his best scoring season of his career last year, netting 22 times in La Liga, and he followed up a fine campaign of last by winning the Nations League with France last week.
The campaign to get Benzema the award, which would be his first, is gathering pace in Spain.
And the Frenchman’s latest endorsement comes from he 2018 winner of the award, teammate Modric.
“We will see. There are a various candidates that could win it. For me, Karim is one of them,” Modric said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid‘s clash with Shakhtar Donetsk.
“I hope that he wins it because he deserves for how he has played this year and his trajectory.
“Above all, these recent years. He has always been at a top level. And he has now won a title with France, which is important in these awards. I hope that he wins because he deserves it.”
Benzema faces a tough challenge to win the award given the season Messi had last term, the Argentine superstar also winning Copa América with Argentine.
Lewandowski is also a big challenger having scored 41 times in Bundesliga alone last term.
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