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Karim Benzema has won the Ballon d'Or for the first time in his career, Eurosport reports.

The Frenchman becomes only the second player aside from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award since 2008. Benzema's Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric won the prize in 2018.

Sadio Mane, who moved from Liverpool to Bayern Munich last summer, came second while Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne finished in third.

"There was a difficult period where I wasn't in the French team but I never stopped working hard or gave up," Benzema said on stage.

Aged 34, Benzema is the oldest Ballon d'Or winner since Stanley Matthews in 1956. However, the France international says he has a "burning desire" to keep playing.

He said: "Age is just a number for me, people play until their later years now and I still have this burning desire. It is this drive that has kept me going and never allowed me to let up. It kept this dream alive and was the fire behind me. I just want to make the most if it."

This year's Ballon d'Or was awarded for performance in the 2021-22 season, rather than the calendar year. Last season, Benzema was in scintillating form.

The Real Madrid striker scored 44 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions in a season where Carlo Ancelotti's side won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.