"Okay, thanks": why Benzema reacted so coldly to winning the 2022 Ballon d'Or

Benzema reacted with icy calm when told he'd won the 2022 Ballon d'Or, later explaining he was restraining his emotions in Real Madrid's dressing room.

Pascal Ferré, former director of France Football magazine, called Karim Benzema in late 2022 to inform him he had won the Ballon d'Or. But the Real Madrid striker greeted the news with an unexpectedly cold tone, responding with a flat "Ah, okay, thanks" rather than the emotional outburst Ferré typically encountered.

Ferré was puzzled by Benzema's muted reaction, knowing how much the award meant to him. When they met a few days later, Benzema explained: "I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout, but I was in the middle of Real Madrid's dressing room where there are French speakers, so I couldn't do it. I kept it to myself and only when I got in my car did I cry out."

Benzema had enjoyed a sensational season with Real Madrid, winning the Champions League months earlier before being crowned Ballon d'Or winner ahead of Sadio Mané, Kevin De Bruyne, Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappé, Thibaut Courtois, Vinícius Júnior, Luka Modrić and Erling Haaland.