Benzema named player of the year following stellar season with Real Madrid

Real Madrid and French striker Karim Benzema has been named by UEFA, as the 2022 Player of the Year following his impressive 2021/22 season with the Spanish champions.

The French international alongside his teammates, conquered the last season's Champions League, winning a record-extending 14th title, and also emerged as the champions of the La Liga.

Benzema is also expected to win the 2022 Ballon D’Or when the ceremony takes place in October.

The 34-year-old scored 15 goals, and made an assist in the 12 matches he played for Madrid during the 2021/22 edition of the Champions League, winning the best player award for the competition.

He also completed what could be regarded as the best season of his career by winning the La Liga - Madrid's 35th and their second in the last five years.

Benzema also won the Pichichi award having scored the most goals in the league last season: 27.

Meanwhile, Barcelona Femini's Alexis Putellas won a second straight UEFA women’s best player award after helping Barcelona reach the Champions League final in defense of its title.

Although Putellas and the Barcelona team lost the final to Lyon, they went on to defend their league title in amazing fashion, as well as winning the Spanish Cup.

She finished the Women's Champions league as the top scorer and was named the Champions League Player of the Season.

Putellas was in contention for the women's award with England and Arsenal forward Beth Mead and Germany and Wolfsburg's Lena Oberdorf.