It's been 24 years since the last Frenchman won football's most prestigious individual award. 

Zinedine Zidane, one of the finest midfield maestros to ever grace the beautiful game, clinched the Ballon d'Or in 1998 after leading his country to their first World Cup triumph.  

This time around, Zidane was given the task of announcing this year's winner at the annual football awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night. Little wonder that the French legend couldn't help smiling when he read out fellow compatriot Karim Benzema's name to thunderous applause. 

At the age of 34, Benzema could have been forced to settle for finishing his career without having won the Ballon d'Or. But after a sensational season that saw the Real Madrid striker clinch both the Spanish La Liga and Champions League, the late bloomer finally reached the pinnacle, becoming the oldest Ballon D'Or winner since Stanley Matthews won the first edition of the prize in 1956.

"It makes me really proud," beamed Benzema, who scored a stunning 44 goals in 46 games last season and also won the UEFA Nations League with France. 

"All the work I did, I never gave up. It was a childhood dream like all kids [have]. I had two motivations in my life - Zidane and Ronaldo. I've always had this dream in my mind that anything is possible," he added. 

"There was a difficult period where I wasn't in the French team, but I never stopped working hard nor gave up. I always kept my head, concentrated on playing football and I'm really proud of my journey here. It wasn't easy, it was a difficult time. It was hard for my family as well. 

"To be here today, for the first time for me, I'm happy and pleased with my work and I keep going ... I have a lot of people to thank. It's an individual prize, but it's a collective one because everyone has played a role. 

"Age is just a number for me. People play until their later years now and I still have this burning desire. It is this drive that has kept me going and never allowed me to let up. It kept this dream alive and was the fire behind me. I just want to make the most if it." 

Benzema's burning desire will undoubtedly stand France in good stead when the national team travel to Qatar next month to defend their World Cup title. 

Among the first to hail Benzema was French President Emmanuel Macron, who tweeted, "Two letters and a number that will go down in football history. Twenty-four years after Zidane, Karim Benzema brings a new Ballon d'Or to France. Congratulations to him!" 

The Ballon d'Or is voted for by journalists from around the world. Sadio Mane, who left Liverpool for Bayern Munich this summer, came second in the vote. Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne was third, with Barcelona's new signing Robert Lewandowski coming fourth. 

Last year's winner Lionel Messi, who boasts a record seven Ballon d'Or awards to his name, was not among the nominees for the first time in 15 years. Five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, finished 20th place this year - the lowest position the Manchester United talisman has been ranked in this prize since 2005.