Drip, drip! Karim Benzema channels Tupac at Ballon d’Or

Karim Benzema channeled his love of hip-hip music - and his idol Tupac Shakur - at the Ballon d'Or Awards in Paris on Monday.

Oct 18, 2022 - 11:44
182125
Drip, drip! Karim Benzema channels Tupac at Ballon d’Or

Karim Benzema had soccer fans in sheer disbelief as he scooped the coveted Ballon d’Or trophy for 2022 – becoming the oldest player at 34 to ever win the award.

The veteran icon – who plays for Spanish team Real Madrid – paid tribute to his own idol on his biggest night – the late rapper Tupac Shakur.

Benzema beat the likes of Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane, Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland to win the prestigious Golden Ball award.

BENZEMA CHANNELS TUPAC AT BALLON D’OR

Benzema’s look for the Ballon d’Or – which took place at the Châtelet Theater in Paris – was strikingly similar to one worn by Tupac at the American Music Awards in 1996.

Karim wore a black tuxedo, which he paired with a white Mandarin shirt with a black and gold collar piece. He topped off the look with a pair of golden specs – just like Tupac.

According to reports, Tupac – who died in 1996 at the age of 25 – was Benzema’s childhood hero.

He told HighSnobiety in 2017 of his love for hip-hop music: “I must have been seven years old or eight years old. Yes, Tupac and all that.”

And just like his love for Tupac, winning a Ballon d’Or award was his biggest dream as a child.

Collecting his Golden Ball award, Benzema told the audience: “This is a childhood dream. My journey was not easy. It was difficult for me and my family. To be here today for the first time, I am happy with my work. I will keep going”

Addressing critics of his win in the latter part of his career, Benzema added that “age is just a number”.

PRAISE FROM FOOTIE FAM

Meanwhile, a number of high-profile soccer stars have heaped praise on Karim Benzema following his amazing achievement during the 2021,2022 season.

Former French football player Thierry Henry said in a recent interview: “In a world full of Ronaldo and Messi fans, I was a Karim Benzema fan for 15 years of my life.

“They laughed at me when I told them he will challenge for the Ballon d’Or with Real Madrid one day. Every hero has his day. Never stop working. Be like Karim.”

Mesut Ozil – Benzema’s former Real Madrid colleague – tweeted: “My boy Benzi – the best player in the world. I’ve always said you will win this trophy and you deserve it so much. Proud of you my brother.”

Brazil’s Ricardo Kaka – who also had a stint at the league club alongside Benzema added: “Congrats on the well-deserved honour, my friend! Welcome to the team.”

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, also a Real Madrid alumnus, added: “Congratulations my friend, it’s been an honour to play with you.”

This article has been sourced from various publicly available news platforms around the world. All intellectual property rights remain with the original publishers and authors. Unshared News does not claim ownership of the content and provides it solely for informational and educational purposes voluntarily. If you are the rightful owner and believe this content has been used improperly, please contact us for prompt removal or correction.