“Some laughed”, these jurors who voted KB9 before everyone else

He had dreamed of it last year before finishing at the foot of the podium, a little disappointed, and us with it. But the dazzling season of Karim Benzema, top scorer in the Spanish championship and the Champions League, leaves no choice to the jurors of the Ballon d’Or. The now-legendary Real Madrid striker will become the first French player to receive the top award since his former coach Zinedine Zidane. Twenty-four years of waiting for a vertiginous explosion of the senses late in life. For a long time, KB9 broadcast the idea of ​​a part-time talent, before rising to an unsuspected dimension. 20 minutes » devotes a series of articles to him before D-Day. Fourth and last episode this Monday: Benzema seen by the jurors who had chosen him against the current, when the Frenchman only scratched a few points in the standings.

If we had to give a title to the relationship between Karim Benzema and the Ballon d’Or, we would propose praise of patience. Not very original, of course, but the 34-year-old center-forward is still celebrating his 11th appointment this year since 2008. Even Leonardo Di Caprio hasn’t been hanging around for so long before winning the Oscar for best actorfor the Revenant in 2016.

The now Madrid legend has only been snubbed three times by the jury headed by France Soccer, in 2010, 2013 and 2016 (the 2020 edition was canceled due to Covid-19). But before his 4th place last year, KB9 had never sparkled, with a mere 16th position as a “record” in 2014.

In the midst of the voracious Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, it is difficult to put your elbows on the table (just ask Francky Ribéry), even if some jurors have sometimes tried to invite him. To the point of astonishing, like the Central African Albert Stanislas Koumbobacko, the only one to vote for him in 2018, and in first place moreover. The Blues had just won their second star of world champions in Russia without Benzema, in full crossing of the desert (less than 10 goals scored with Real).

Trouble around his only voter in 2018

The journalist then expressed his incomprehension at the microphone of Radio Dneke Lukaa media from his country, assuring that it was “the 2014-2015 ranking that [avait] been reproduced”. France Soccer had assured that it was not so and that his correspondent had indeed voted for the Madrid striker.

A year earlier, the Central African reporter had ranked Benzema in 4th position without discussion, one rank lower than in the list of Algerian Yazid Ouahib, who had stalled the Frenchman behind his club teammates Cristiano Ronaldo (1st) and Isco (2nd), but ahead of Messi (4th) and Neymar (5th).

After the victory in the Champions League final against Juventus on June 3, 2017 in Cardiff. – Shutterstock / Sipa

The genius of Bron had finished in an anonymous 25th place in a general classification dominated by CR7. “I thought he had a great season with Real [vainqueur de la C1 et de la Liga, entre autres] and that as such he deserved, at least, to be on the podium, explains today the editor-in-chief of the sports department Daily El-Watanot. My choice was based solely on an objective analysis of its performance, and it has always been dictated by my conviction. »

It took a lot of conviction for Adel Amrouche to defend his 2011 vote. The globe-trotting coach (11 clubs and selections) was leading Burundi at the time, and the coaches had access to the Ballon gold alongside journalists but also captains of national teams, according to the partnership between France Soccer and FIFA in force from 2010 to 2015. “Being both a coach and a trainer, my vision told me that he deserved to be ranked number 1,” explains the 54-year-old Algerian.

“I knew people were going to shoot me”

That year, the young Benzema had only won the Spanish Cup in club, where Gonzalo Higuain overshadowed him, but he had established himself as an essential pawn of Laurent Blanc’s Blues, after losing a few extra pounds. However, he was satisfied with 19th place in the Ballon d’Or, very far behind the untouchable Messi.

I knew people were going to shoot me with this choice, resumes Adel Amrouche, about to lead a sixth African selection after a brief stint in Yemen. I even found articles as far as Pakistan and some other breeders laughed. It touched me a little, but I was not ashamed. I’m a coach, I know what I’m talking about. I also have a master’s degree in sports psychology, I understand what players can go through. »

And for him, KB9 was already not a player like the others at the time. “He’s someone whole, pure, not someone vicious,” enthuses the consultant for the Qatari channel Al-Kass Sports Channel. A centre-forward is often judged on his goals scored, but he has always done a great job for others, more than for himself. He puts the group before the individual. While generally the attackers have the malice and want that it is the others who work for them. »

Benzema taken as an example during the video sessions

Amrouche launches a comparison with the last tricolor winner of the Ballon d’Or before Monday, also of Algerian origin: “Karim Benzema does not play to be known, he has a bit of Zidane in him. And with Zidane as coach, he later found a good balance.

Adel Amrouche on the bench of Kenya during a trip to Nigeria, March 23, 2013 in Calabar.
Adel Amrouche on the bench of Kenya during a trip to Nigeria, March 23, 2013 in Calabar. – Utomi Ekpei / AFP

The former midfielder, who evolved in his country then in Belgium, is such a fan of KB9 that he sets him up as a model during his video sessions. “Once when I was ruling Kenya [en 2013 et 2014]there was a falling out between Dennis Oliech [ex-Nantes, Auxerre et AC Ajaccio] and a teammate. I told him to watch how Benzema made efforts in relation to the group, how he made his decisions, and the right decisions, but also his movements, his self-sacrifice… ”

Eleven years after his discussed or even mocked choice, the Algerian coach awaits the coronation of the center forward of the Blues with an emotion that he does not try to hide. “Karim has scored a lot of players, now it’s me he’s going to give a golden assist! I have tears in my eyes thinking about this. That’s football, and it’s wonderful. »

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