To win the Ballon d'Or, Benzema says, "I can't do much more."
After helping Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League final in Paris on Saturday, Karim Benzema said he had done everything he could this season to make himself a favorite for the Ballon d'Or.
Benzema did not score in the final at the Stade de France, as Vinicius Junior scored the game's sole goal, but he was the Champions League's top scorer with 15 goals, including 10 in the knockout stages.
When asked if the Ballon d'Or was on his mind after a season in which he also won La Liga with Real Madrid, the 34-year-old said, "Of course."
"I'm going to join the national team now, but I don't think I'll be able to achieve much more with my club."
"We'll see what happens, but I'm proud of what I've accomplished."
After scoring 44 goals for Real this season, Benzema will link up with the France side for a set of UEFA Nations League games in June.
In the Champions League knockout rounds, he scored hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea, and he scored three times in the semi-final against Manchester City over two legs.
"There is no luck," he stated, referring to a string of incredible comeback victories on their way to the championship.
"You could get fortunate once in a while, but not every time. Our win is well-deserved. We put out the effort, returned each time, and never gave up.
"Every player in our roster is vital, whether they are starters or substitutes, or if they don't play much but give it their all in training."
Benzema noted that finishing the season as the competition's top scorer was "special," given he has now won five Champions Leagues with Real.
"However, the most essential thing is to win the Champions League for the fifth time."
In October, before this year's World Cup in Qatar, the winner of the Ballon d'Or will be announced in a ceremony in Paris.
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