Karim Mostafa Benzema, popularly known as Karim Benzema is a French professional football player. Benzema plays as a striker for the Spanish club Real Madridand the France national team. He started his professional football career from the French club Lyon progressing through the club's youth system. He easily established himself as one of the prolific goal scorers in world football. He led Lyon to four Ligue 1 titles, one Coupe de France, and two Trophee des Champions. He was ultimately signed by the Spanish giant, Real Madrid in 2009. As a Real Madrid player, he has already won several titles including five UEFA Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, four Supercopa de Espana titles,  FIFA Club World Cup titles, and UEFA Super Cup titles.

On the international level, Karim Benzema has represented France's national team at various age levels. The French international ultimately made his senior international debut in 2007. However, Benzema was denied a place in the national team for over 6 years for his involvement in the publicized scandal involving blackmail in 2015. He was finally called up for the national team for UEFA Euro 2020. For his outstanding performance in his career, he has won several awards and accolades including three French Player of the Year among others. Since his debut, he has obtained 97 caps and scored 37 goals for France. 

What is Karim Benzema Famous For?

• Prolific goal scorer for Real Madrid
• Three-times French Footballer of the Year

Source: @goal

Where is Karim Benzema From?

Karim Benzema was born on 19 December 1987. His birth name is Karim Mostafa Benzema. His birthplace is Lyon in France. His nationality is French. He was born to his father Hafid Benzema and his mother Wahida Djebbara. His grandfather Da Lakehal Benzema migrated from Algeria to France in the 1950s. His religion is Muslim. He has three brothers named Farid, Sabri, and Gressy, and five sisters named Laeticia, Lydia, Sofia, Celia, and Nafissa. At the age of eight, he started training football at the local club Bron Terraillon SC. His performance caught the eye of Lyon. Benzema then joined Lyons academy in 1996.

Career of Karim Benzema

Lyon

• Benzema was promoted to Lyon's first team in 2004.
• He started his early career on the bench. He did not get much playing time.
• Once he started proving himself, Benzema went on impressing the club and fans.

Source: @twitter

• He proved himself as a prolific goalscorer through the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons scoring 31 and 23 goals respectively.
• At Lyon, he won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles becoming the top scorer in 2007-08.
• He also won Coupe de France in the 2007-08 season and Trophee des Champions in 2006 and 2007.
• He scored 66 goals in 148 appearances in all competitions during his spell at Lyon. 

Real Madrid

• Spanish club Real Madrid signed Benzema on a six-year deal for 35 million Euro in July 2009.
• He was presented in a grand way as the club presented Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
• Benzema was deployed as a substitute striker in his early seasons at the club.
• Following his progress and performance through the later seasons, he earned his place in the club's first team. 
• Benzema won his first title as a Real Madrid player, Copa del Rey in 2011. It was the first of many club titles he was going to win in the upcoming seasons. 
• Benzema proved himself as one of the most influential players for Real Madrid.
• He played alongside the world's best footballers at Real Madrid such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Raul, and Gonzalo Higuain among several others.

Source: @twitter

• As of 2022, the French international has won four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, four Supercopa de Espana titles, five UEFA Champions League titles, four UEFA Super Cup titles, and FIFA Club World Cup titles with Real Madrid.
• At the end of the 2021-22 season, he has 323 goals in 605 appearances in all competitions.
• He is Real Madrid's all-time top assist provider and fifth all-time top goalscorer. 
• Benzema is considered one of the prolific goalscorers at present. 

International Career of Karim Benzema

• Initially, Benzema has represented France at different age levels including France U17, U18, U19, and U21 teams. 
• He was a member of the France U17 squad that won the UEFA European U17 Football Championship in 2004. 
• He made his senior debut for France national team against Austria in March 2007. He was only 19 years old when he made his senior international debut. 
• Benzema went on to score his first senior international goal in the same match. 
• He was named to France's squad for the UEFA Euro 2008. France was eliminated from the group stage. 
• He was not included in France's squad for the FIFA World 2010 due to his involvement in the sex scandal. Franck Ribery, Sidney Govou, Hatem Ben Arfa, and Benzema were four French internationals investigated for their roles as clients in a prostitute ring operated inside of a Paris nightclub, with some of the women possibly being underage. 
• However, France manager Domenech cited Benzema's struggle with his new club Real Madrid as the reason for his exclusion from the squad.

Source: @goal

• He later returned to the national team for the Euro Cup 2012 qualifiers and also made a place in France's squad for the Euro Cup 2012.
• He was in the France squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 
• Benzema was arrested by French police in November 2015 for his alleged part in blackmailing fellow France international player Mathieu Valbuena over the alleged recording of a sex tape on a mobile phone.
• He was ultimately suspended from the France national team that resulted in his absence in UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. 
• He was finally allowed a place in the France squad in 2021. He returned to France football in the UEFA Euro 2020. 
• He made his first appearance since his return on 2 June 2021 in a 3-0 home win over Wales, in a friendly warm-up match before the final tournament.
• On 13 November 2021, he scored his first goal in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with a brace in an 8-0 win over Kazakhstan as France booked their place for Qatar 2022 which saw him over-take David Trezeguet to become Les Bleus' fifth all-time top scorer with 35 goals.
• Since his debut, he has obtained 97 caps and scored 37 goals for France. 

Who is Karim Benzema Wife?

Looking at his personal life, Karim Benzema is a married man. The French international is married to Cora Gauthier. The couple has been together since 2016. The couple lives together and has two children: daughter Melia and son Ibrahim. Previously, Karim Benzema was linked with Manon Marsault, Analicia Chaves, and singer Rihanna.

Controversies of Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema has been dragged into several controversies and scandals. Karim Benzema along with Franck Ribery, Sidney Govou, and Hatem Ben Arfa was charged with solicitation of a minor prostitute in 2010. The scandal cost Benzema a place in France's national team for the 2010 World Cup. In 2014, the case was dropped against both Ribery and Benzema saying there was insufficient evidence to prove that the pair knew the prostitutes were underage.

In 2015, Benzema was arrested by French police for his alleged part in blackmailing fellow French player Mathieu Valbuena. Benzema was criticized by top-level authorities of France including then Prime Minister of France, Manuel Valls. Benzema has not made the French squad since then.

What is Karim Benzema Salary and Net Worth?

Karim Benzema earns from his professional career as a football player. His income comes from contracts, salaries, and endorsements. Having started his football career at Lyon in 2004, he led the club to several glories. He signed with the Spanish club Real Madrid for 35 million Euro in 2009. He later signed contract extensions with the club in 2014, 2017, and 2020. He has an annual salary of around £14 million at Real Madrid at present.

Besides his salaries and bonuses, he also earns from endorsements. He has worked with Electronic Arts for the FIFA series, Korean automobile manufacturer, Hyundai, the French telephone operator SFR, its subsidiary BuzzMobile, the French bank LCL, the sports betting company Bwin, and Adidas among others. His net worth is estimated at around $70 million at present.

How Tall is Karim Benzema?

Karim Benzema as of 2023 stands at a height of 1.85 m i.e 6 feet and 1 inch tall. He has a body weight of 178 lbs. In 2011 ahead of the 2011-12 season, Benzema went to Italy to attend a high-performance clinic to undergo treatment to reduce his weight. He reduced 8 kg of his total weight. He has a balanced body and maintained himself perfectly fit. His eye color is light brown and his hair color is dark brown. In addition, his sexual orientation is straight. 

Karim Benzema’s Transfer History

• He began his football career at his hometown club Bron Terraillon SC at the age of eight.  
• In 1997, he joined the youth team of Lyon and began his career at the club. 
• In July 2009, he signed for Real Madrid on a six-year deal in a transfer worth €35 million with the fee rising to as much as €41 million based on incentives.

Awards and Achievements

Honors

• Won the 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 Ligue 1 with Lyon.
• Won the 2007-08 Coupe de France with Lyon.
• Won the 2006, 2007 Trophee des Champions with Lyon.
• Won the 2011-12, 2016-17, 2019-20, 2021-22 La Liga with Real Madrid. 
• Won the 2010-11, 2013-14 Copa del Rey with Real Madrid.
• Won the 2012, 2017, 2019-20, 2021-22 Supercopa de España with Real Madrid.
• Won the 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2021-22 UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid.
• Won the 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022 UEFA Super Cup with Real Madrid.
• Won the 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 FIFA Club World Cup with Real Madrid.
• Won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship with France U17. 
• Won the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League with France.

Awards

• Won the 2008 Bravo Award.
• Won the 2007-08 Ligue 1 top scorer.
• Won the 2007-08 Coupe de France top scorer.
• Won the 2007-08 UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year.
• Won the 2007, 2008 Golden Lion for the best Lyon sportsman. 
• Won the 2006 French Rookie of the Year.
• Won the 2007 Peace Cup Best player.
• Won the 2007 Peace Cup Bronze Boot.
• Won the 2007-08 Etoile d'Or. 
• Won the 2020-21, 2021-22 Onze d'Or.
• Won the 2011, 2012, 2014, 2021 French Player of the Year.
• Won the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season.
• Won the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League top goalscorer.
• Won the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League top assist provider.
• Won the 2019-20 La Liga Player of the Season.
• Won the 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 La Liga Best Player (voted by Marca fans).
• Won the 2019-20 Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano.
• Won the 2021-22 Pichichi Trophy. 
• Won the 2021-22 Supercopa de España top scorer.
• Won the 2015-16, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22 Real Madrid Player of the Season.
• Won the 2019, 2021, 2022 Best French Player playing Abroad.
• Won the 2021 AS Player of the Year.
• Won the 2022 Kicker Player of the Season.
• Won the Madrid Sports Press Association Award (APDM).
• Won the 2016, 2017, 2018 UNFP Best French Player playing Abroad nominee.
• Member of Guinness World Records 2021: Player with the most consecutive seasons in the UEFA Champions League (qualified in the competition without interruption since 2005)
• Won the 2005 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup top scorer.
• Won the 2014 FIFA World Cup Man of the Match: Honduras (GS), Switzerland (GS).
• Won the UEFA Euro 2020 Star of the Match: Portugal (GS).
• Won the 2020 UEFA European Championship Bronze Boot.
• Won the 2021 UEFA Nations League Final Man of the Match.
• Won the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals Bronze Boot.
• Won the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals Goal of the Tournament.