Karim Benzema has crowned his surprising rehabilitation with Les Bleus by being named France Football's national player of the year.
The Real Madrid striker was recalled by France coach Didier Deschamps after being dropped by him in late 2015.
“It had been almost six years since I last played, I had to feel my way a little, watch, adapt. It didn't take long,” Benzema, who turned 34 in December, told France Football in an interview published on Saturday.
Benzema edged two previous winners, Kyian Mbappe and N'Golo Kante, in the France Football poll announced on Friday after scoring nine goals for his country since his return.
Filling the roll of a traditional central striker, he has linked well with the other two attackers, Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
“I find myself in the best circumstances,” he said, adding that the partnership with Mbappe and Griezmann is “working well”, and has grown even “better” than when he first returned last summer.
“Now, when one drops, the other goes long, and vice versa. It's better,” he said.
Benzema scored four goals at the European Championship, including a pair as the world champions were surprisingly eliminated in the round of 16 by Switzerland, who fought back with two late goals to draw 3-3 and then won on penalties.
He finished the calendar year with a bang, scoring five goals in four internationals as France rebounded by winning the Nations League and completing a successful World Cup qualifying campaign.
“I just have to stay at this level,” he said. “Now we have to win collective trophies,” he said.
Results
1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin - Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000
2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000
3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Brief scores:
Southampton 2
Armstrong 13', Soares 20'
Manchester United 2
Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'
