Will Real Madrid arrive on time with the Ballon d'Or for Benzema?

The Ballon d'Or award run by France Football magazine has grown into perhaps the most prestigious individual honour a footballer can receive, and it now remains to be seen whether Real Madrid can deliver it to Karim Benzema in the manner in which it deserves should he claim the 2021 prize.

Players and clubs include clauses in their contracts referring to the coveted award with huge monetary prizes. Los Blancos have been criticised in the past for not making more of a fuss over Cristiano Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or wins during his time at the club, as well as Luka Modric's success in 2018.

In previous editions, Real Madrid were almost expectant of the award when it seemed predestined to be handed to Cristiano or Lionel Messi.

Real Madrid personnel believe that Benzema has done more than enough to take home the award for 2021, but the question remains whether they will market it better than they did previously.

The French forward's difficult start and middle years at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu have long since been forgotten, as have the moments where fans actually whistled him. And Real Madrid feel the 2021 Ballon d'Or would be the recognition of the career and the excellent form of the French striker.

He is now the club's most important player and the award would cement a legacy that has been gradually built over the course of an illustrious career at the top level. Thus a Ballon d'Or win would embody what he means to the club.

Now, Benzema is the perfect employee. A player who acts as a leader and who has never used any leverage for improvements in his contracts or in any other situations. Benzema hasn't had big marketing campaigns or media exposure, but his thing has been to play football, to prepare himself, to help his team and perhaps become the best player int he world.