Right time for a quick recap of the winners before I head off...
Ballon d'Or winner: Karim Benzema
Women's Ballon d'Or winner: Alexia Putellas
Yashin trophy: Thibaut Courtois
Kopa trophy: Gavi
Gerd Muller Trophy: Robert Lewandowski
Club of the year: Manchester City
Socrates Award: Sadio Mane
You can read all about Real Madrid and France forward Benzema winning the Ballon d'Or - awarded to the best footballer of the year - for the first time, right here.
Another big winner was Barcelona's Putellas, who retained the Women's Ballon d'Or, awarded to the best best female footballer of 2022.
Anyway that's me. Thanks for joining me this evening.
Post update
Since 2000 a Real Madrid player has won the Ballon d'Or on nine occasions.
@realmadridCopyright: @realmadrid
A French affair
France's Ballon d'Or winners at a glance:
Raymond Kopa - 1958
Michel Platini - 1983 / 1984 / 1985
Jean-Pierre Papin - 1991
Zinedine Zidane - 1998
Karim Benzema - 2022
@francefootballCopyright: @francefootball
Post update
Karim Benzema was posing for selfies earlier but I reckon this is the snap he wanted all night.
More from Karim Benzema, who is the fifth French winner of this prize, he talks up his two heroes Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, calling them a real inspiration.
A huge standing ovation greets the Real Madrid forward as he poses for photos and brings the curtain down on the grandest of shows.
'Age is just a number'
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Very much a family affair now as Karim Benzema invites his mum and son up on stage.
He is the oldest Ballon d'Or winner since Stanley Matthews in 1956.
"Age is just a number for me," he says. "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."
'I never stopped working hard or gave up'
More from 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema: "There was a difficult period where I wasn't in the French team but I never stopped working hard or gave up.
"Really proud of my journey here. It wasn't easy it was difficult. To be here today for the first time, I am happy, pleased for my work and want to keep going.
"I want to thank all my team-mates at Real Madrid and France and my coach and the Real Madrid president who is here this evening and also the support of Jean-Michel Aulas [Lyon president].
"There are a lot of people to thank. It is an individual prize but still a collective one because of everyone who played a role in it."
Huge chants of 'Karim, Karim' are ringing out as Karim Benzema begins his thank you speech.
"Seeing this award in front of me makes me really proud of the work I have done. It was childhood dream, to have the motivation... I had two role models [Zinedine] Zidane and Ronaldo and always I had this dream in my mind that anything is possible."
Benzema wins Ballon d'Or
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Karim Benzema collects the Ballon d'Or award from his old boss Zinedine Zidane.
Benzema, who played a pivotal role in Real Madrid's Champions League glory last season, is the first French player to win the trophy since Zidane in 1998.
Post update
Now for the big reveal...
Robert Lewandowksi is fourth. Kevin de Bruyne is third and Sadio Mane is second, which means...
Post update
Zinedine Zidane is chatting away and to be honest he looks pretty much how he did at the end of his playing career. Not bad given he retired 16 years ago.
Post update
Oh hello Zinedine Zidane is heading up on stage. He won this award in 1998. A magical midfielder.
Post update
Now onto the main event...
Pep is key to this 'project'
Kevin de Bruyne is passed the microphone first. The Manchester City midfielder says: "I have come to a family. We try to entertain and inspire young children to play in that way.
"We have won a lot but not the Champions League yet but we are proud of the way we play."
Manchester City director of football, Txiki Begiristain: "Pep [Guardiola] is a key person in this project. There is always something new every game. There is hard work and it's based on respect to the opponent. When we lose he is always pushing us to be better. When we win he shares everything with everyone. "
Man City named club of the year
Club of the Year = Manchester City.
That is based on City having the the most individual nominations across categories - six - including Lucy Bronze.
Kevin de Bruyne and Ederson are among a City delegation heading up onto the stage to pick up the award.
Liverpool were second. Real Madrid finished third.
Luis Figo now comes on stage to hand out the club of the year award.
Didier Drogba says he'd loved to have played with the former Portugal and Real Madrid winger and shows him the sort of affection definitely not guaranteed by fans at one of his other former clubs, Barcelona.
Post update
A little break comes to an end and the camera pans straight to Zinedine Zidane. Is that a little clue to the eventual winner?
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
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@realmadridCopyright: @realmadrid -
Raymond Kopa - 1958
-
Michel Platini - 1983 / 1984 / 1985
-
Jean-Pierre Papin - 1991
-
Zinedine Zidane - 1998
-
Karim Benzema - 2022
@francefootballCopyright: @francefootball View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter 
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Latest PostGoodbye
Right time for a quick recap of the winners before I head off...
Ballon d'Or winner: Karim Benzema
Women's Ballon d'Or winner: Alexia Putellas
Yashin trophy: Thibaut Courtois
Kopa trophy: Gavi
Gerd Muller Trophy: Robert Lewandowski
Club of the year: Manchester City
Socrates Award: Sadio Mane
You can read all about Real Madrid and France forward Benzema winning the Ballon d'Or - awarded to the best footballer of the year - for the first time, right here.
Another big winner was Barcelona's Putellas, who retained the Women's Ballon d'Or, awarded to the best best female footballer of 2022.
Anyway that's me. Thanks for joining me this evening.
Post update
Since 2000 a Real Madrid player has won the Ballon d'Or on nine occasions.
A French affair
France's Ballon d'Or winners at a glance:
Post update
Karim Benzema was posing for selfies earlier but I reckon this is the snap he wanted all night.
Post update
Post update
France striker Karim Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 games for his club Real Madrid last term with 15 coming in the Champions League.
Post update
Post update
More from Karim Benzema, who is the fifth French winner of this prize, he talks up his two heroes Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, calling them a real inspiration.
A huge standing ovation greets the Real Madrid forward as he poses for photos and brings the curtain down on the grandest of shows.
'Age is just a number'
Very much a family affair now as Karim Benzema invites his mum and son up on stage.
He is the oldest Ballon d'Or winner since Stanley Matthews in 1956.
"Age is just a number for me," he says. "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."
'I never stopped working hard or gave up'
More from 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema: "There was a difficult period where I wasn't in the French team but I never stopped working hard or gave up.
"Really proud of my journey here. It wasn't easy it was difficult. To be here today for the first time, I am happy, pleased for my work and want to keep going.
"I want to thank all my team-mates at Real Madrid and France and my coach and the Real Madrid president who is here this evening and also the support of Jean-Michel Aulas [Lyon president].
"There are a lot of people to thank. It is an individual prize but still a collective one because of everyone who played a role in it."
Post update
Huge chants of 'Karim, Karim' are ringing out as Karim Benzema begins his thank you speech.
"Seeing this award in front of me makes me really proud of the work I have done. It was childhood dream, to have the motivation... I had two role models [Zinedine] Zidane and Ronaldo and always I had this dream in my mind that anything is possible."
Benzema wins Ballon d'Or
Karim Benzema collects the Ballon d'Or award from his old boss Zinedine Zidane.
Benzema, who played a pivotal role in Real Madrid's Champions League glory last season, is the first French player to win the trophy since Zidane in 1998.
Post update
Now for the big reveal...
Robert Lewandowksi is fourth. Kevin de Bruyne is third and Sadio Mane is second, which means...
Post update
Zinedine Zidane is chatting away and to be honest he looks pretty much how he did at the end of his playing career. Not bad given he retired 16 years ago.
Post update
Oh hello Zinedine Zidane is heading up on stage. He won this award in 1998. A magical midfielder.
Post update
Now onto the main event...
Pep is key to this 'project'
Kevin de Bruyne is passed the microphone first. The Manchester City midfielder says: "I have come to a family. We try to entertain and inspire young children to play in that way.
"We have won a lot but not the Champions League yet but we are proud of the way we play."
Manchester City director of football, Txiki Begiristain: "Pep [Guardiola] is a key person in this project. There is always something new every game. There is hard work and it's based on respect to the opponent. When we lose he is always pushing us to be better. When we win he shares everything with everyone. "
Man City named club of the year
Club of the Year = Manchester City.
That is based on City having the the most individual nominations across categories - six - including Lucy Bronze.
Kevin de Bruyne and Ederson are among a City delegation heading up onto the stage to pick up the award.
Liverpool were second. Real Madrid finished third.
Post update
Luis Figo now comes on stage to hand out the club of the year award.
Didier Drogba says he'd loved to have played with the former Portugal and Real Madrid winger and shows him the sort of affection definitely not guaranteed by fans at one of his other former clubs, Barcelona.
Post update
A little break comes to an end and the camera pans straight to Zinedine Zidane. Is that a little clue to the eventual winner?