Contrary to what we have been reading for a few hours, Olympique Lyonnais will not receive a million euros thanks to Karim Benzema’s Ballon d’Or. Such a bonus had indeed been slipped by the Rhone club at the time of the Frenchman’s transfer, but it was only valid on the first contract signed by the striker at Real Madrid.
Karim Benzema’s coronation at the Ballon d’Or will have absolutely no impact on Lyon’s finances. Contrary to what we can read since the consecration of the French striker at the Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris) on Monday evening, the Rhone club will not receive a bonus of one million euros thanks to the player he revealed to the eyes from the general public before letting him slip away to Real Madrid for 35 million euros.
>> Ballon d’Or: live reactions after Benzema’s coronation
Valid only on the initial 6-year contract
Such a clause had indeed been slipped during the transfer of Gone to the Spanish capital. But this bonus of one million euros in the event of coronation at the Ballon d’Or was only valid for the initial duration of the first contract signed by KB9, i.e. over 6 years.
Benzema will meanwhile receive a substantial bonus. According AS, Real Madrid should pay a million euros to the center forward of the Blues for his Ballon d’Or. An amount negotiated during his last contract extension in August 2021, which appears in a special clause.
For the leaders of Lyon, it will be necessary to be satisfied with the immense pride of seeing a kid from the academy on the roof of the world. “I have a lot of emotion because Karim is a child of OL whom we have seen grow up and whom we have seen succeed in almost everything he has undertaken”, reacted Jean-Michel Aulas on Monday evening. Worth all the money in the world, right?