Real Madrid’s star striker, Karim Benzema, has been crowned the winner of the 2022 Ballon d’Or after helping the Spanish club win La Liga and the Champions League. He scored 44 goals last season and became the eighth Real Madrid player to lift the iconic Ballon d’Or award. He has been a revelation for the Spanish soccer giants in the past few seasons and deserved to win the award. Karim Benzema has some NBA connections as well. The Blancos striker visited New York five years back and met with Kevin Durant, who had recently won a championship with the Warriors.

The iconic Balon d’Or award is an annual soccer award presented by France Football. Karim Benzema has made it to the Ballon d’Or nominations 10 times in his career. This time, he finally won the coveted award. He also became the first Frenchman since Zinedine Zidane to lift the award.

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Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is a big fan of soccer as well. The Nets star is a minority owner for NWSL side Gotham FC. An old picture of Karim Benzema and Kevin Durant has resurfaced on social media after the Frenchman’s Ballon d’Or win.

Kevin Durant and Karim Benzema’s iconic picture from 2017

An old picture of Kevin Durant and Karim Benzema has been making rounds on social media recently. The Nets star dwarfed the Real Madrid star in the picture from 2017. Benzema visited New York in 2017 after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid. During his visit, he met the then-Warriors star, Kevin Durant. Durant had also come off a fresh championship win with the Warriors.

“When a #NBA champion’s met a #UCL champion’s 💪@KDTrey5,” Benzema’s caption read.

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It is truly an iconic picture as both the players had won the biggest trophies for their respective teams. Durant won the NBA championship with the Warriors in 2017. Kevin Durant also won the NBA Finals MVP in 2017. Next year, KD won another championship with the Warriors, winning back-to-back NBA Finals MVP awards as well.

Kevin Durant’s investment in NWSL’s Gotham FC

The Nets star is a big investor and has been active in investing in sports teams. Durant, with Rich Kleiman, bought an ownership stake in MLS’s Philadelphia Union. Thirty Five Ventures, founded by Kleiman and Durant, also invested in the National Women’s Soccer League’s Gotham FC in 2022.

Kleiman and Durant are also on the board of the women’s professional sports league network, Athletes Unlimited. Durant has a strong connection in soccer with investments in two franchises.

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Moreover, the Philadelphia Union had its most successful season in 2020, reaching the semis of the ‘MLS is Back’ tournament and winning the Supporter’s Shield.