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Ballon d'Or Battle Is Between Karim Benzema And Sadio Mane, Claims Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry believes that the 2022 Champions League final is likely to determine who wins the Ballon d'Or.

Real Madrid will play Liverpool in Paris on May 28 when Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane go head to head.

Benzema has indisputably been Real's main man this season. He has scored 43 goals in 43 games, including 15 in 11 Champions League appearances.

Mane has been far less prolific - scoring 21 goals in 46 club outings - but the Liverpool star also led Senegal to glory in the Africa Cup of Nations in February.

Sadio Mane pictured celebrating a goal for Liverpool during their Champions League semi-final win over Villarreal in May 2022

Sadio Mane pictured celebrating a goal for Liverpool during their Champions League semi-final win over Villarreal

Henry expects Benzema to win world soccer's most prestigious individual award.

But he feels that Mane could pip Benzema to the prize should Liverpool end the season with four major trophies.

"The thing about the final to make it even bigger is the two favorites for the Golden Ball, the Ballon d'Or, are Mane and Benzema," Henry said on CBS Sports.

"So that will add an extra little spice to it, because I still believe that Benzema is ahead, but if Mane wins it with Liverpool and they do make the quadruple that's a pretty strong case.

"It would be great for Africa, but I'm still going for Benzema."

Although Henry reckons Mane is Benzema's main challenger, the bookmakers suggest that fellow Liverpool forward Mo Salah is the second favorite for the Ballon d'Or.

Should either Mane or Salah win the award, they would be only the second African to do so after Liberia's George Weah in 1995.

Frenchman Henry twice came close to winning a Ballon d'Or himself, finishing second in the 2003 vote and then third in 2006.

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