Real Madrid with a Clean Swoop of Awards as Benzema Wins the 2022 UEFA Best Player

On 12^th August, UEFA announced the top 3 Best Players shortlist, the list consist of two Real Madrid players and another from Manchester City: Karim Benzema, Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne.

2022 UEFA Best Player

Karim Benzema was crowned the 2022 UEFA Best Men’s Player after a stellar season with UCL Champions Real Madrid, the striker finished as top scorer in the 2021/2022 UCL campaign scoring 15 goals in the process. He was also instrumental to their numerous comebacks, scoring a hatrick against PSG and two goals against Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabeu. Benzema also won the 2022 UEFA Nations League with France. 

Thibaut Courtois finished second for his heroics in the UCL and Kevin De Bruyne, third on the podium.

UEFA Women’s Best Player – Alexia Putellas (Barçelona, scoring 100 goals for Spain Women and a record 13 goals in the UWCL) She becomes the first woman in history to retain the UEFA award. 

UEFA Women’s Coach – Sarina Wiegman (England Women’s Coach, won the Euros with England)

UEFA Men’s Coach - Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid, the first coach to win the UCL Four times)

UEFA Positional awards

Best Goal Keeper - Thibaut Courtois

Best Young Player - Vinicius Junior

UEFA Honorary Award

Arrigo Sacchi of AC Milan was crowned the 2022 UEFA President’s award.

Tags: UCL, UEFA, UEFA Best, 2022 UEFA Awards

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2022 Ballon D’or: Messi Misses out as Benzema, Oshoala, Mendy and Saka Headlines Nomination List

France Football announced on Friday the nominees for the four categories of the Ballon D’or award for 2022; the categories are as follows: Kopa Trophy, Yachine Trophy, Women’s Ballon D’or and Men’s Ballon D’or. 

The ceremony will take place in France on the 21^st October, 2022 at the Theater de Chatelet in Paris. This year’s Ballon D’or ceremony is sponsored by Purnell. The Ballon D’or award calendar has changed from yearly to a season; this means players will be awarded based on their performance only for a season calendar between August – July. And because this is the new rule, you’re likely to see new names makes the list.

The 10 nominees for the Kopa Trophy for the best U-21 Player in Europe

Karim Adeyemi (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)

Jude Bellingham (England, Borussia Dortmund)

Eduardo Camavinga (France, Real Madrid)

Gavira (Spain, Barcelona)

Ryan Gravenbach (Netherlands, FC Bayern Munchen)

Pedri (Barcelona), winner

Nuno Mendes (Portugal, PSG)

Jamal Musiala (Germany, FC Bayern Munchen)

Josko Gvardiol (Croatia, RB Leipzig)

Bukayo Sako (England, Arsenal)

Florian Witz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)

The 10 nominees for the Yachine Trophy for the Best Goal Keeper in Europe

Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Sevilla)

Alisson Becker (Brazil, Liverpool)

Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Real Madrid)

Ederson Moraes (Brazil, Manchester City)

Mike Maignan (France, AC Milan)

Donarumma (PSG), winner

Edouard Mendy (Senegal, Chelsea)

Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich)

Jan Oblak (Slovenia, Atletico Madrid)

Kevin Trapp (Germany, Eintracht Frankfurt)

Hugo Lloris (France, Tottenham)

The 20 Nominees for the Women’s Ballon D’or

Selma Bacha (France, Lyon)

Fridolina Rolfo (Sweden, Barcelona)

Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands, Arsenal)

Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona)

Sam Kerr (Australia, Chelsea)

Chrisitiane Endler (Chile, Lyon)

Lena Oberdorf (Germany, VFL Wolfsburg)

Kadidiatou Diani (France, PSG)

Catarina Macario (USA, Lyon)

Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)

Alexia Putellas (Barcelona), winner

Alexandra Popp (Germany, VFL Wolfsburg Frauen)

Aitana Bonmati (Spain, Barcelona)

Wendie Renard (France, Lyon)

Alex Morgan (USA, San Diego Wave FC)

Beth Mead (England, Arsenal)

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Barcelona)

Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, PSG)

Millie Bright (England, Chelsea Women)

Trinity Ridman (USA, Washington Spirit)

Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Lyon)

The 30 nominees for the Men’s Ballon D’or

Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Real Madrid)

Rafael Leao (Portugal, AC Milan)

Christopher Nkunku (France, RB Leipzig)

Mohammed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)

Joshua Kimmich (Germany, Bayern Munich)

Trent Alexander-Arnold (England, Liverpool)

Vinicuis Jr. (Brazil, Real Madrid)

Bernao Silva (Portugal, Manchester City)

Luis Diaz (Colombia, Liverpool)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland, FC Barcelona)

Lionel Messi (Barcelona/PSG), winner

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria, Manchester City)

Casemiro (Brazil, Real Madrid)

Heung-Min Son (South Korea, Tottenham)

Fabinho (Brazil, Liverpool)

Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid)

Mike Maignan (France, AC Milan)

Harry Kane (England, Tottenham)

Darwin Nunez (Uruguay, Liverpool)

Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)

Sadio Mane (Senegal, Bayern Munich)

Dusan  Vlahovic (Croatia, Juventus)

Virgil Van Djik (Netherlands, Liverpool)

Joao Cancelo (Portugal, Manchester City)

Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG)

Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)

Yes, you guessed right, No Lionel Messi!

Tags: Ballon D’or, France Football, Kopa Trophy, Yachine Trophy

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Kizz Daniel Arrested in Tanzania for Failing to Perform in a Show he was Paid for

Nigerian Afro-beat musician Kizz Daniel has been arrested by the Tanzanian Police Force for failing to appear on stage in a show he was paid to perform. According to reports, Kizz Daniel failed to perform in the show on excuses that he forgot his bag of clothes at Uganda, and cannot buy another brand or cheap clothes to come on stage.

His arrest was imminent as the organizers of the show were very furious with this development.

He failed to show up for a show in Tanzania last night. Fans paid as high as $5000 for a table to see him perform, you can see how angry they are as they leave the venue. pic.twitter.com/qhwxvwY0k3

— BASITO (@itzbasito) August 8, 2022

Here is a video of his arrestpic.twitter.com/G6UOo7f4jJ

— BASITO (@itzbasito) August 8, 2022

Tags: Social Media, Celebrity Gist, Entertainment, Music

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Highest Paid Hollywood Actors in 2022

The year is half way gone and box office and Netflix movies have made way into the cinemas, most persons say the year 2022 is a year of blockbuster movies, rightly so because, this year, producers were at their best.

However, the following actors have racked up the money while starring in great movies in 2022; they are:

Tom Cruise - The American racked up a whooping sum of $100M for his role as Lt. Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell in the movie Top Gun: Maverick; the movie so far has amassed a record Box office of 1.249 billion USD on a $170M budget.

Wills Smith - Wills was exception for his role as Peter in yet to release movie Emancipation, earning a dashing sum of $35M in the action thriller film directed by Antoine Faqua.

Leonardo DiCaprio – Leonardo made $30M for his role as Ernest Burkhart in the western crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon; the movie worked on a budget of $200M and it has already been outlined for distribution by Apple TV+ and Paramount Pictures.

Denzel Washington – Denzel still got it, as he was paid $20M for his role as Robert McCall in the upcoming movie The Equalizer 3. The movie directed by Antoine Faqua will be released in September 2023.

Margot Robbie – Margot starred in upcoming romantic comedy Barbie and her role as lead actor Barbie earned her a $12.5M; the movie based off the eponymous fashion doll line by Mattel which also stars Ryan Goslings will be released in July 2023.

Millie Bobby Brown – Millie was Enola Hormes in the mystery and crime movie Enola Hormes, initial release date set for September 2020, Millie earned $10M on the Netflix distributed crime movie. 

Tags: Entertainment, Celebrity Gist, Hollywood, Movies, Netflix

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