Karim Benzema, NFTs and Andriy Shevchenko, the true winner of the Ballon d’Or – The Warm-Up

TUESDAY’S BIG STORIES King Karim Ad For over a decade we moaned that the Ballon d’Or was just a high school popularity contest between the ringleader and the whizz-kid. It didn’t matter how good you were, if you weren’t called Lionel or Cristiano (or, err, Luka) you were going to be left out. Premier LeagueVilla want Pochettino if Gerrard is sacked after crucial double-header – Paper Round10 HOURS AGO It was proved in 2010, when Messi somehow won ahead of Andres Iniesta, who not only made it unreasonably easy for the Argentine to score so many that year, but also, y’know, scored the biggest goal at the actual World Cup.

OK, the second biggest goal after this legend: There was an even greater robbery in 2021. Robert Lewandowski, fresh from seeing the award cancelled in 2020 because he was called Robert, was denied by Messi. The Pole scored 111 goals across 2020 and 2021.

He won 0 Ballon d’Ors. Well, moan no more. The post-popularity era is upon us.

And in Karim Benzema, we have a worthy champion of the new era. The ultimate escape artist who could save not just himself, but also 10 team-mates and football’s most famous eyebrows, with his fearless finishing. Over on the women's side, if you aren't called Alexia then give up now.

Putellas defended her crown after another ridiculous season, which saw her Barcelona side win ALL THIRTY league games and secure a domestic treble, while she was also top scorer in the Champions League before injury cruelly robbed her of a spot at Euro 2022. We do have one gripe. And it's a biggie.