UEFA Best Player: why did I vote for Benzema? A disgustingly obvious choice

The Ruik.cz portal, which represents the Czech Republic in the journalistic section of the prestigious Best Player UEFA poll, organised jointly with the European Football Union by the German magazine Kicker, also gave the vote to French striker Karim Benzema. There was no other option. The choice was sickeningly clear.

The Real Madrid captain was literally on a rampage, he was unstoppable. It is mainly thanks to him, and no one denies the contribution of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who dominated the coaches’ poll, that the royal Spanish club has achieved trophies undreamed of halfway through the season.

In the Champions League, he quickly helped make amends for a historic wobble in the form of a home defeat to Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol. He turned the tide with a hat-trick against France’s Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals when Real were on the brink of elimination and no one would have bet a devalued peseta on their progress.

With another hat-trick, he first helped plunder London’s Chelsea in their den, and when the rematch did not go well, it was Benzema again who dealt the decisive blow to his opponents. The semi-final also looked for a long time in Manchester City’s favour, with the French striker once again the difference maker with three more successful interventions to his credit.

He did not score in the final against another English team, Liverpool FC, but contributed one goal to the Super Cup win against Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany. All in all – fifteen goals in the Champions League and one Super Cup goal, that’s the calling card of a goalscorer. On top of that, a Spanish La Liga title and the crown of the king of goalscorers with 27 goals.

There was nothing to consider, nothing to contemplate, nothing to think about – Benzema was the obvious choice. Disgustingly clear. And the results confirm it. The French international scored more points than everyone else in the top ten combined.

Not even the Czech representative doubted his sovereignty.

Final standings – players

1. Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid) 523

2. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City) 122

3. Thibaut Courtois (Belgium/Real Madrid) 118

4. Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich) 54

5. Luka Modric (Croatia/Real Madrid) 52

6. Sadio Mané (Senegal/Liverpool FC) 51

7. Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool FC) 46

8. Kylian Mbappé (France/Paris SG) 25

9. Vinícius Junior (Brazil/Real Madrid) 21

10. Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool FC) 19

Final standings – coaches

1. Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid) 526

2. Jürgen Klopp (Germany/Liverpool FC) 210

3. Pep Guardiola (Spain/Manchester City) 108

Czech vote

Players

1. Karim Benzema

2. Kevin De Bruyne

3. Thibaut Courtois

Coaches

1. Carlo Ancelotti

2. Jürgen Klopp

3. Pep Guardiola

Source: UEFA