Everything you need to know about King Karim!
Karim Benzema is a French professional football player who currently plays as a striker for Real Madrid. He was born on December 19, 1987, in Lyon, France, and began his football career at a young age. Benzema is of Algerian descent and his parents are both initially from Algeria.
Benzema began his professional career with Lyon, where he quickly established himself as one of the most promising young talents in French football. He helped Lyon win the Ligue 1 title four times in a row (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08), and was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2008. In 2009, Benzema moved to Real Madrid in a deal worth around €35 million, where he has since become one of the most successful and iconic players in the club's history.
Throughout his career, Benzema has been known for his impressive goal-scoring abilities, technical skills, ability to drop deeper and link with midfielders, and physicality. He is an excellent dribbler and is capable of creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Benzema has won numerous domestic and international titles with Real Madrid, including five UEFA Champions League titles and four La Liga titles. He is currently the second-highest goal scorer in the history of Real Madrid, with 342 goals, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
In addition to his success at the club level, Benzema had also been a key player for the French national team. He has represented France at several major international tournaments, including the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2008 and 2021 UEFA Euros, and has scored 37 goals for his country. He announced his retirement from the national team following the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Off the pitch, Benzema is known for his reserved and quiet personality. He rarely speaks to the media and prefers to keep his private life out of the public eye. Benzema is a devout Muslim and observes Ramadan, and he has been involved in several charitable causes over the years, including children's education and cancer research.
Benzema has also faced controversy throughout his career. In 2015, he was involved in a blackmail scandal that led to his exclusion from the French national team for several years. However, he was eventually reinstated to the team in 2021. Overall, Benzema is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of his generation, and a true icon of the sport.
Fastest goal in El Clásico history
During Real Madrid's record-breaking 2011-12 season, in which they won the league by bagging 100 points and scoring 121 goals, Benzema was responsible for another record.
The-then 23-year-old scored the opening goal just 21 seconds after kick-off, which became the fastest goal ever scored in an El Clásico, a record that still stands today.
AdvertisementCould have played for the Algerian national team
Benzema was born to Hafid Benzema and Wahida Djebbara, who were French nationals of Algerian descent. Given his Algerian roots, the Algerian Football Federation tried to convince Benzema to represent the Algerian national team, but his heart leaned towards representing Les Bleus.
"It's my parents' country, it's in my heart," the Frenchman stated in an interview with RMC in 2006.
"But well, from a sporting perspective, it's true I'll play in the French team. I'll always be available for the French team.
"It's more for the sporting side, because Algeria is my country, you see, my parents come from there. France, on the other hand … it's more of a sport thing, that's it."
Benzema was a ball boy for Lyon
When he was just eight years old, Benzema began playing football for his local club, Bron Terraillon. When he scored twice against the Lyon Youth Academy in a U-10 match, he began drawing the attention of Lyon club officials.
Officials from Lyon personally visited him and convinced Bron Terraillon to sell him. Serge Santa Cruz, the club's then-president, declined to sell him. The agreement was finalized after Lyon's representatives spoke with Benzema's parents. And that was the time when Benzema worked as a ballboy for Lyon's senior squad matches.
Unafraid to express his mind in front of senior players at Lyon
Benzema had to communicate with the first-team players at Lyon who were already well-established when he was promoted to the first team. The first squad players that Lyon had at the time included Florent Malouda, Sylvian Wiltord, Eric Abidal, and Michael Essien, among others.
Benzema was subjected to jokes when he first encountered these players, which he didn't find to be very amusing.
He then declared, "Do not laugh, I'm here to take your place."
And he kept his word.
Benzema went on to make 148 appearances for Les Gones, scoring 66 goals, and helped Lyon continue their dominance in France at the time.