Real Madrid star Karim Benzema is the odds-on favorite to win the 2022 men’s Balon d’Or at the ceremony in Paris tonight.

The 34-year old’s goal-scoring exploits propelled Los Blancos to La Liga and Champions League success last season.

Benzema scored an incredible 44 goals in 46 matches for the Spanish giants, including two hat tricks in the knockout stages of the Champions League, as Real were crowned European champions for a record 14th time.

Should he win, the former Lyon striker will become the first Frenchman to win the prestigious award since Zinedine Zidane 24 years ago.

Who is also up for the award?

There is a 30-man shortlist released by the organisers of the event, France Football, in August.

Thibaut Courtois – Real Madrid

Rafael Leao – AC Milan

Christopher Nkunku – RB Leipzig

Mohamed Salah – Liverpool

Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich

Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool

Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid

Bernardo Silva – Manchester City

Luis Diaz – Porto/Liverpool

Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich/Barcelona

Riyad Mahrez – Manchester City

Casemiro – Real Madrid/Manchester United

Son Heung-min – Tottenham Hotspur

Fabinho – Liverpool

Karim Benzema – Real Madrid

Mike Maignan – AC Milan

Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur

Darwin Nunez – Benfica/Liverpool

Phil Foden – Manchester City

Sadio Mane – Liverpool/Bayern Munich

Sebastien Haller – Ajax/Borussia Dortmund

Luka Modric – Real Madrid

Antonio Rudiger – Chelsea/Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United

Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City

Dusan Vlahovic – Fiorentina/Juventus

Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool

Joao Cancelo – Manchester City

Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain

Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund/Manchester City

The defending and record winner of the award Lionel Messi, was not shortlisted.