Karim Benzema Biography

Karim Benzema (Karim Mostafa Benzema) is a French professional footballer born on 19th December 1987 in Lyon, France. He plays as a striker for Spanish club Real Madrid and the France national team.

He began his football career at his hometown club Bron Terraillon SC at the age of eight. While at the club, he was nicknamed Coco by friends and, after scoring two goals in an under-10 match against the Lyon youth academy, began attracting attention from the biggest club in the city.

10 Quick Facts About Karim Benzema

1. Name: Karim Benzema
2. Age: 34 years
3. Birthday: 19 December
4. Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
5. Height: Average
6. Nationality: French
7. Occupation: Professional Footballer
8. Marital Status: Not Known
9. Salary: Under review
10. Net worth: $40 million

Karim Benzema Age

The French international was born on 19 December 1987 in Lyon, France. He is 34 years as of 2021.

Karim Benzema Parents

Benzema’s parents are French nationals of Algerian descent. Da Lakehal Benzema, his grandfather, lived in the village of Tigzirt that is located in the northern town of Beni Djellil, Algeria before migrating to Lyon, where he settled in the 1950s.

Karim Benzema Papa

Benzema’s father, Hafid Benzema, was born in Tigzirt, Algeria while his mother, Wahida Djebbara, was born and raised in Lyon; her family originated from Oran.

Karim Benzema Siblings

Benzema has eight siblings with him being the third youngest in the family. They  grew up in Bron, an eastern suburb of Lyon. His younger brothers Gressy and Sabri are also footballers.

Gressy plies his trade at the amateur level with Vaulx-le-Velin in the Division d’Honneur, the sixth division of French football, while the Sabri plays in the youth academy of a club in the family’s hometown of Bron.

The other older siblings are: Farid Benzema (brother) and sisters; Laeticia Benzema, Celia Benzema, Lydia Benzema, Nafissa Benzema and Sofia benzema.

Karim Benzema Wife

Benzema is not married. He has however been in several relationships. From 2010 to 2013, he was in a relationship with Manon Marsault then later began dating French nurse Chloe De Launay (who birthed their daughter, Melia on February 3rd, 2014).

He also dated Analicia Chaves but they later broke up. In 2016, he began dating Cora Gauthier, a French model but they broke up in May 2017. They share a son by the name Ibrahim on 25 May 2017.

Karim Benzema Chloe

Chloe De Launay met Karim Benzema on “her” island of Reunion in late 2009. When they began a relationship, she got pregnant and in the night of Sunday 2 to Monday, February 3, 2014, in Madrid, Chloe gave birth to a little girl named Mélia.

“Every day, I’m with her, I play with her. (…) I’m taking things another way now. I am much calmer than before, ” explained the happy dad in ” said Benzema.

Karim Benzema Hijos

Benzema is a father of two children: a daughter by the name Mélia, born on February 3, 2014 by Benzema’s then girlfriend Chloe De Launay. His second child is a son by the name Ibrahim. He was born on 25 May 2017 by Cora Gauthier, a French model.

Karim Benzema Muslim

Benzema is a practicing Muslim and he observes fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Karim Benzema Nationalité, Nationality

Karim is a French national.

Karim Benzema Salaire

According to Real Madrid’s player’s salaries report, Benzema earns around 10M €.

Karim Benzema Net worth

Karim Benzema has a net worth of $40 million dollars. Karim Mostafa Benzema was born in Lyon, France in December 1987.

Karim Benzema Taille, Size

Height : 1.85 m
Weight/Poids : 81 kg

Karim Benzema Lyon

Benzema joined the youth academy at Lyon after the club showed interest in him while he was still at club Bron Terraillon SC. He quickly ascended the youth categories in the academy. With the Lyon senior team, he was the ballboy and performed well in school being described as a student who was “discreet and respectful”. He was promoted to the club’s reserve team ahead of the 2004–05 season.

Benzema made his professional debut in the 2004–05 season and appeared sporadically in his first three seasons as Lyon won three titles in that span. In the 2007–08 season, he became a starter and had a breakthrough year scoring over 30 goals as Lyon won its seventh straight league title.

For his performances, he was named the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Ligue 1 Player of the Year and named to the organization’s Team of the Year. Benzema was also the league’s top scorer and given the Bravo Award by Italian magazine Guerin Sportivo.

Karim Benzema Real Madrid | Real Madrid Karim Benzema

After another season at Lyon, in July 2009, Benzema moved to Real Madrid in a transfer fee worth over €35 million ($50 million), and signed a six-year contract.

After struggling to establish himself in his debut season with the club, in the ensuing two seasons, Benzema reached prominence, scoring 32 goals en route to helping Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey in 2011 and the 2011–12 edition of La Liga. He has been named French Player of the Year three times for his performances in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

Benzema Real Madrid

In December 2016, Benzema was called up in Real Madrid’s squad for 2016 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. In the semi-final match against América on 15 December, Benzema scored in the last moments of the first half, helping the team to progress in the final by winning 2–0.

In the final three days later against Kashima Antlers, Benzema opened the score in the 9th minute, and also assisted Ronaldo’s second goal, as Real Madrid won 4–2 in extra time after the regular time finished 2–2 to claim their second title. It was Benzema’s tenth title with Real Madrid, and finished the competition as joint-second topscorer with two goals in two matches.

On 15 February 2017, in the first leg of 2016–17 UEFA Champions League round of 16 against Napoli, Benzema scored Real Madrid’s first goal in an eventual 3–1 home win, which was his 51st goal in this competition, overtaking Thierry Henry on the list of all-time Champions League top scorers. It was his first goal in six matches and for this performance he was voted Man of the Match.

He was a regular starter, and scored the last goal of the season which gave him eleven for the campaign, when Madrid won the 2016–17 La Liga and the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League.

Karim Benzema France

Benzema is a former French youth international and has represented his nation from under-17 level onwards. Prior to playing for the senior team, he played on the under-17 team that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. Benzema made his senior international debut in March 2007 in a friendly match against Austria, scoring in a 1–0 win.

On 11 October 2013, Benzema scored his first goal for the France national team since June 2012 in a friendly against Australia, thus ending a scoring drought for his national team which had lasted 1,222 minutes. In that match played at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, which France won 6–0, Benzema scored France’s sixth and final goal in the 50th minute after turning home Franck Ribéry’s left-wing cross.

In the second leg of the 2014 World Cup qualification play-off against Ukraine held on 19 November 2013 at the Stade de France, Benzema scored France’s second goal in the 34th minute to level the aggregate score at 2–2.

Benzema scored his goal when he side-footed home after a huge scramble in the Ukrainian penalty box, although he was shown on television replays to be offside by almost one metre when the ball took a final touch off Mathieu Valbuena’s chest.

Benzema had four minutes earlier been denied a legitimate goal, the offside flag wrongly raised when he turned in Ribéry’s low cross into the net with his torso a metre from the Ukrainian goal-line.

Ukraine had won the first leg of the play-off 2–0 in Kiev just four days earlier. France would eventually win the second leg 3–0 to advance to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil with a 3–2 aggregate scoreline.

On 6 June 2014, Benzema was named in France’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making his debut in the tournament. In the team’s first match, a 3–0 win against Honduras in Porto Alegre on 15 June, he scored a goal in each half, the first from a penalty kick.

He also assisted the team’s second goal when his shot rebounded off the post and was fumbled over the goal-line by Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares for an own goal, the first World Cup goal given by goal-line technology. He later added a third goal sealing France’s 3–0 victory against Honduras. He was named by FIFA as man of the match for his performance.

In the second group fixture, he scored and had a penalty saved in a 5–2 defeat of Switzerland, as Les Bleus all but secured qualification to the knockout stage. France were later knocked out by Germany in the quarter-final stage of the tournament.

Benzema has earned over 80 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments: the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, Benzema has twice been left out of major tournament squads: 2010 World Cup due to lack of playing time with Real Madrid and Euro 2016 after a highly publicised scandal.

Karim Benzema Coupe Du Monde | World Cup

Benzema has not played with the France national team since late 2015 when he got tangled up in the sextape affair with Mathieu Valbuena. Hence, he was not a part of Didier Deschamps’ list of players who represented France in the 2018 World Cup.

Karim Benzema Algeria

Before he played for France at the senior level, Benzema was approached by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF). They sought him as they wished him to play for Algeria at the senior international level. He however declined the invite citing his desire to continue his international career with France. In a radio interview later with Radio Monte Carlo, he said, “Algeria is my parents’ country and it is in my heart, but football-wise, I will only play for the French national team”.

Karim Benzema Booba

Booba(real name Elie Yaffa),is a French rapper and is linked to Karim Benzema as they are friends. In August 2018, Booba had a fight with Kaaris, also a French rapper, at Orly airport. This led to Booba’s arrest and the two were charged with aggravated violence for participating in the brawl. Booba also expressed his support for Benzema when he got caught up in a blackmail affair against Mathieu Valbuena in 2015.

Karim Benzema Kit

Shop for the best in official Karim Benzema gear online at the Real Madrid Official Online Store. Get authentic Karim Benzema Real Madrid jerseys and kits. You can also get the branded ones from cheapsoccerpro.us.com.

Karim Benzema Cristiano Ronaldo

Benzema began his 18/19 season by breaking his former teammate’s (Christiano Ronaldo) record of scoring against 32 different LaLiga sides with his September 2018 record of 33. He scored twice over Leganes.

Karim Benzema Backed up by the new Real Madrid Boss

Adopted from: marca.com
Published: 6th November 2018

The Solari era began with Karim Benzema as a starter. One more coach who has confidence in the Frenchman, and indeed, the only one who questioned his ownership of the centre-forward role was Jose Mourinho.

Solari started him against Melilla and then repeated the decision in his league premiere against Valladolid. Two decisions accompanied by a compliment.”Karim is superb in his position.”

Benzema seems to have continuity once more, a tradition that began with Manuel Pellegrini, who also opted for the Frenchman in his first starting XI. It was against Depor and the striker played from start to finish with Raul, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. However, that year he would end up flirting with being a substitute after an injury.

Then came Mourinho, the only one who didn’t have him as a starter in his first game as coach of Madrid. He benched him against Mallorca and opted for Gonzalo Higuain instead, a decision that would start a long battle between the pair for the starting spot.

Undoubtedly, it was the most delicate time for the Frenchman at the club, but he still scored 78 goals in the 150 games played for Mou. With Ancelotti he had free access. The Italian not only lined him up in the first match he led to Madrid, but he made him the regular starter. In addition, he didn’t hesitate to praise him on many occasions. “He is the best player in the world in his position,” the Italian said.

Ancelotti also wanted to sign him this season for Napoli. Untouchable since 2013, Rafa Benitez also gave his full confidence to Benzema.”He is a fundamental footballer for us,” the Spaniard said. And what about Zidane when he took over from Benitez? In fact, Zizou said it all: “Whoever doesn’t like Karim doesn’t like football.” He started under Julen Lopetegui in his tenth season at Real Madrid, and it’s a situation that won’t change with Solari.

Karim Benzema Contacts

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