NYON: Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema has been hailed as European football federation UEFA’s Player of the Year award after the club’s Champions League and Spanish league double. His manager Carlo Ancelotti was named as the men’s Coach of the Year.

France centre-forward Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions last season and was top scorer in both Champions and Spanish leagues.

The 34-year-old fought off competition from Real Madrid team-mate Thibaut Courtois and Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City.

Karim Benzema: everywhere a winner

Benzema netted 27 goals in the Spanish top flight, nine more than any other player, while also scoring 15 in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti wins the men’s Coach of the Year award after he became the first manager to win the title in all five of Europe’s major leagues when Real claimed their 35th La Liga.

The Italian also became the first coach to win four Champions League trophies when he guided his team to victory in the final against Liverpool.

Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas claimed the women’s Player of the Year award for a consecutive year despite missing out on Euro 2022 with a knee injury.

The 28-year-old Spaniard beat Arsenal and England forward Beth Mead – the Euros golden boot winner – and VfL Wolfsburg and Germany midfielder Lena Oberdorf.

Before tearing her anterior cruciate ligament on the eve of the Euros, Putellas helped Barcelona win a third successive Primera Division title and reach the Champions League final, which they ultimately lost to Lyon.

England manager Sarina Wiegman was named UEFA Women’s Coach of the Year 2021-22 after leading the Lionesses to a historic European Championship victory.

Wiegman beat Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor, who guided the French side to their eighth Champions League title, and Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg to the women’s Coach of the Year award after leading England to their first major tournament success since the 1966 men’s World Cup.

She said: “Things have been set in place and gone very well since I started with the team in September. We’ve really enjoyed it and we’ve performed at our highest level.

“Now we are looking forward again. Hopefully we qualify for the World Cup and then next year we go to the World Cup and try to improve the game, perform ourselves and enjoy the game of course.”

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