Ballon d’Or: Pepe Reina Names Player That Should’ve Won Award Ahead Of Benzema

Pepe Reina, the Liverpool football club legend, has named Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper as the player that should have won the Ballon d’Or 2022 ahead of teammate Karim Benzema.

Recall that Benzema won the Ballon d’Or last year after scoring an astounding 44 goals and claiming 15 assists in 46 games across competitions for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid won the La Liga, Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup in 2022.

“Ballon d’Or? I would have given it to Courtois,” Reina said (via Madrid Xtra).

“He is the best in the world in his position, and it would have been nice to see a goalkeeper win one again.”

Courtois, who made a record nine saves in Real Madrid’s Champions League final 1-0 win over Liverpool in the 2021-22 season, came seventh in the 2022 Ballon d’Or race.