Karim Mostafa-Benzema, a French professional footballer, was born on 19 December 1987. He plays as a striker at Real Madrid’s La Liga club and for France’s national team. He is considered one of the greatest strikers of his generation.
Benzema was born in Lyon to Algerian parents. He began his senior football career in 2005 with Olympique Lyonnais, where he contributed to three Ligue 1 title wins. He was awarded the National Union of Professional Footballers Player of the year in 2008 and the Team of The Year in 2008. He also won the league’s top goalscorer award and his fourth title, the Coupe de France. Benzema signed for Real Madrid in a deal worth a EUR35million in 2009 as part of a French record association football transfer.
After struggling in his first season, Benzema rose to prominence at Real Madrid. He has won twenty trophies including three La Liga titles and two Copas del Rey titles. He is also the club’s third-highest all-time top goalscorer and top assist provider. Benzema was also named French Player-of-the-Year four times while at Real Madrid.
Age, Biography, and Wiki
Karim Benzema, a French association football player, was born in Lyon, France on December 19, 1987.
| Popular As | N/A |
| Occupation | N/A |
| Age | Age 33 |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Born | 19 December 1987 |
| Birthday | 19 December |
| Birthplace | Lyon, France |
| Nationality | France |
Early career
Ronaldo’s style was a big influence on me when I was younger. He’s my favorite striker. It’s difficult to emulate his moves, even though I have seen videos. It’s impossible for me to do the same moves as him.
–Benzema discusses the influence of Ronaldo, his Brazilian idol, on his career.
Benzema started his football career in his hometown, Bron Terraillon SC, at age eight. After scoring two goals against Lyon’s youth academy in an under-10 match, friends nicknamed him Coco. This helped him to attract attention from the largest club in the city. Serge Santa Cruz, who was the president of Bron Terreillon in the 1990s said that Lyon officials had approached him to try to sign the youngster. However, Santa Cruz declined. The club granted Benzema a trial with Lyon after talking to his father. After the trial, Benzema was officially admitted to Lyon and placed into the club’s academy. Philippe Bergeroo was Benzema’s last coach. He officially joined the team before the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, which was held on home soil. He was a part of two matches during the competition. Benzema scored his first goal in the tournament’s 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland. His only other appearance was in the group stage victory over Spain. France won the tournament against the same team in final.
Personal life
Benzema is seen in an Adidas music video (above), and a commercial for Real Madrid (below), in 2019 and 2018.
Karim Benzema was the son of French Algerian nationals. His grandfather, Da Lakehal Benzema was born in Tigzirt in northern Algeria. He then migrated to Lyon in the 1950s. Benzema was born in Tigzirt to his father Hafid. His mother Wahida Djebbara was born in Lyon and raised there. Her family is from Oran. Benzema, the third-youngest member of the family, grew up in Bron (an eastern suburb of Lyon) with eight siblings. Gressy and Sabri, his younger brothers, are also footballers. The former plays at the amateur level in Vaulx-le-Velin’s Division d’Honneur sixth division of French football while the latter plays in the youth academy in Bron, his family’s hometown.
His daughter Melia was born on February 3, 2014. His son Ibrahim was born on 5 May 2017. Benzema is a Muslim and observes Ramadan fasting. He said that his faith helped him to stay focused each day. It’s my strength and my benefit. I can count on it for everything.
Benzema is a part of numerous advertising campaigns since his internationalization. He was selected as the ambassador for Electronic Arts, an American videogame publisher, for the FIFA series. He has signed sponsorship agreements with many companies, including the Korean auto manufacturer Hyundai, the French phone operator SFR and BuzzMobile, as well as the French bank LCL, and the sports betting firm bwin. Adidas sponsors Benzema. His documentary film Le K Benzema, was released in 2017. Benzema launched his YouTube channel in 2020. He uploaded videos from his daily life as well as interviews with fans and Q&As.
Style of play
Benzema is a creative, skilled, fast, agile, and prolific forward. He is also able to play off the shoulders the last defender. His Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti described him as “the greatest striker in the world”, and he is widely considered one of the most talented strikers of his generation. Although he is a unique number 9, Benzema can also be used as a striker in the centre forward position. However, Benzema can also play as a playmaker behind his main striker in the number 10, as an attacking midfielder or as a forward. Benzema’s goals are not the only thing that distinguish him. He can also drop down into deeper or wider positions and link up play with midfielders or use his strength to support teammates. One commentator called him a “nine-and-a-half”.
Benzema’s movement at Real Madrid has been praised by pundits as well for his work-rate, tactical intelligence off the ball and positional sense as a forward. This often draws opponents out of position and creates space for his teammates. During Ronaldo’s time at the club, he also formed a strong offensive partnership. Benzema’s movements attracted defenders away, creating space for Ronaldo to make attacking runs in the centre of the field from the left wing. This was essentially a false 9.
Legal issues and disputes
RMC received his comments on 6 December 2006 about his potential selection for the Algerian team. It’s good to know that I will be playing in the French team, even though it was not a sport. I will always be present for the French team. It’s also for the sporting side because Algeria is my home country. My parents are from Algeria. France is next. It’s more sporty than that. These comments and his refusal to sing “La Marseillaise”, the French national anthem, were criticized by Benzema.
French TV channel M6 reported that four French national team members were under investigation for their involvement in a Paris prostitute ring. Some of the women could have been underage. Franck Ribery and Sidney Govou were finally revealed as Hatem Ben Arfa, Benzema, and Hatem Ben Arka. Benzema was alleged by her lawyer to have had a sexual rendezvous when she was sixteen years old with a prostitute. Paris police arrested Benzema on 20 July for the “solicitation to a minor prostitute” charge. Prosecutors asked that Ribery’s and Benzema’s cases be dropped. They claimed that Ribery was unaware that Zahia Dehar, the escortee, was only 16 years old. The case went on to trial. The case was finally closed by the judge. He stated that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove Ribery or Benzema knew the prostitutes were younger than they thought.
