Karim Benzema takes a dig at Lionel Messi on social media after 2022 FIFA Awards ceremony

As Lionel Messi was named the 2022 FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema shared a mysterious statement on Instagram. On Monday (February 27), the legendary player from Argentina won the trophy in Paris after defeating the runners-up, Kylian Mbappe, and the third-place finisher, Karim Benzema. Players, coaches, and captains from all over the world cast votes for the honor.

Only eight points separated Messi’s total from Mbappe’s, who scored 52 points. With 34 points, Benzema finished third in the voting behind the two top players from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Benzema shared a screenshot of a post from one of his fan accounts on his Instagram story after the former Barcelona forward’s victory. The article lists every accomplishment the Real Madrid striker made between August 2022 and the completion of FIFA‘s nomination process for the Player of the Year award in 2022.

Watch it here:

Benzema struggled with conditioning throughout season

Perhaps, Benzema wanted to suggest that he was a better candidate to get the honour. The legendary player from France won the 2022 Ballon d’Or but was injured and was unable to participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball award and assisted Argentina in winning the competition. He made a point of thanking his national teammates for the victory in Qatar after taking home the FIFA Player of the Year trophy in Paris.

The World Cup victory, especially against Mbappe and Benzema’s France in the championship game, may have tilted the prize in Lionel Messi’s favour. Several people see him as the early favorite to take home the Ballon d’Or later this year. In their respective clubs, both are having outstanding seasons. This season, the PSG playmaker has played in 28 games across all competitions and recorded 17 goals and 16 assists.

While Benzema has struggled with his conditioning throughout the season, he has contributed to 25 goals and five assists for Real Madrid in 25 games across all competitions. He showed that he is still among the finest in the game on February 21 at Anfield when he scored twice against Liverpool in a 5-2 Champions League victory.