Soccer - Real's Ancelotti backs Benzema for Ballon D'or

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v RCD Mallorca - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - September 22, 2021 Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their fifth goal REUTERS/Sergio Perez

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has backed forward Karim Benzema to win the Ballon D'Or, comparing the Frenchman to a wine that gets better with age.

The award, which has been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years, is as open a contest as ever as the duo age and Benzema's form in 2021 has led to calls from the local media for him to be given the gong.