REAL Madrid striker Karim Benzema finally got his hands on the Ballon d’Or award in 2022 – and there was surprisingly no bandage in sight.
The French talisman inspired his side to an impressive La Liga and Champions League double last season.
Karim Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or award in ParisRex
Karim Benzema always has a bandage on his hand when playing football.AFP via Getty
And at age 34, Benzema recorded his best-ever goal-scoring season last campaign registering 44 goals in 46 appearances.
But for all of the French international’s accolades, the one common question football fanatics still want to know is why does Benzema always wear a bandage?
Find out the reason why below…
Why does Karim Benzema wrap a bandage around his hand?
Fans have gotten used to seeing Karim Benzema throwing up his bandage-wrapped right hand during goal celebrations.
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And it has been claimed that the French forward wearing the bandage is down to superstition.
But in actual fact, Benzema wraps it around his hand before every match to protect a fractured finger injury which he sustained in a 2019 encounter against Real Betis.
ReutersBenzema sustained a fractured finger in 2019 against Real Betis[/caption]
Benzema collided with defender Marc Bartra when going up for a challenge and ended up fracturing his right little finger when attempting to break his fall.
The Ballon d’Or winner was told that surgery would leave him on the side-lines for two months, but Benzema opted to wait until the end of season to have the operation which was a success.
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However, Benzema rushed his rehabilitation period to be available for the next season, which led to his hand receiving another blow.
As a result, the goal machine has had to permanently wear the bandage after not giving it enough time to heal.
What has Benzema said about the bandage?
Ahead of a 2021 Champions League group game, Benzema revealed in a press conference that he didn’t have time for another operation.
The Ballon d’Or winner said: ” I did have an operation, but when you have surgery, you have to be out for two months.
“I’ve hurt [the finger] again, but I don’t have time to stop and have another operation, so I wear the bandage when I’m playing.”