Just like Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or under Carlo Ancelotti after lifting the Champions League and becoming the leading scorer in the competition that year.
The Italian tactician has worked with some of the best players in the game throughout his career and four of them lifted the Ballon d’Or while coached by the ex-Milan, Parma and Juventus boss.
Andriy Shevchenko was the first one in 2004. The ex-Ukraine striker was the Serie A Capocannoniere in 2003-04 and his 24 goals in 32 games helped the Rossoneri win the title. They also won the UEFA Supercup and reached the Champions League quarter-finals.
They had won the trophy in 2002-03, beating Juventus at Old Trafford, but Bianconeri star Pavel Nedved was given the award that season.
The second Ballon d’Or winner under Ancelotti, another ex-Milan star, was Kaka.
The ex-Brazilian star was the best player of 2007, another year that saw Ancelotti’s Milan conquer The Cup With The Big Ears. Kaka was the best Champions League scorer with 10 goals in 15 appearances that season.
Another Champions League victory brought a third Ballon d’Or for one of Ancelotti’s players. In 2013-14 his Real Madrid side won La Decina and it was Cristiano Ronaldo to get the trophy in his hands, thanks to his impressive 51 goals in 47 games across all competitions.
Like Kaka, he was the best scorer in Europe’s elite competition that season with 17 goals in 11 games and the same goes for Benzema last year. The France striker scored 15 goals in 12 Champions League matches in 2021-22, helping Real Madrid lift the cup for the 14th time in history, the second under Ancelotti.