Karim Benzema wearing Real Madrid home kit. Photo by Real Madrid. Wikimedia

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Karim Benzema


 

Karim Mostafa Benzema is a French professional footballer. He currently plays for Real Madrid in La Liga and for the France national team. He’s regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation.

A creative and prolific forward known for his play making and finishing. Benzema is Real Madrid’s joint-second all-time leading goalscorer.

Benzema, was born in Lyon to Algerian parents. He began his senior career with Olympique Lyonnais in 2005. He was named League Player of the Year and Team Player of the Year in 2008 after finishing as the league’s top goalscorer and winning his fourth league title and first Coupe de France.

Benzema was the subject of a then-French record football transfer in 2009. This is when he joined Real Madrid for €35 million. He struggled to establish himself in his debut season. Eventually, he established a consistent goal scoring rate with the club.

Benzema notably went on to be part of a highly rated trio — dubbed BBC — alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. They were integral to Real Madrid winning four UEFA Champions League titles from 2014 to 2018.

1. Karim Benzema comes from a family of 8

Karim Benzema playing Mahjong. Photo by Real Madrid. Wikimedia

Karim is from a large family. He has eight siblings in total. Three brothers and five sisters. The Real Madrid star is the third youngest in the family.

His two younger brothers, Gressy and Sabri, have also made a name for themselves in football, albeit not to the same extent as Karim.

2.Karim Benzema could have played for Algeria

Karim, born in France but is of Algerian descent, could play for the Algerian national team. In fact, when he was making a name for himself, the Algerian football federation tried to persuade him.

He chose France and went on to win 81 caps for Les Bleues.

3. Benzema began his career at his hometown

Karim Benzema against Mateo Musacchio. Photo by Addesolen. Wikimedia

Benzema began his football career at the age of eight with his hometown club Bron Terraillon SC. Friends nicknamed him Coco while he was at the club. After scoring two goals in an under-10 match against the Lyon youth academy, he began attracting interest from the city’s biggest club.

The president of Bron Terraillon in the 1990s confirmed, Lyon officials had personally visited him in an attempt to sign the youngster. Santa Cruz refused.

After speaking with Benzema’s father, the club agreed to let him try out for Lyon.  Following the trial, Benzema was officially signed by Lyon and placed in the club’s academy. 

4. He’s one of the top five Champions League scorers 

Benzema’s name may not be the first that comes to mind when thinking of the Champions League’s all-time top scorers. The Frenchman has a very impressive 70 goals from 126 appearances in the competition.

He scored 12 goals for his first club, Lyon, before going on to score 58 for Real Madrid since 2009. Benzema currently ranks fifth all-time in La Liga, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Raul Gonzalez.

5. He scored the fastest goal in El Clasico history

Karim scored in a LaLiga match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in December 2011. It took him only 22 seconds. This made him the fastest goalscorer in the history of the greatest game in club football.

Since 2009, he has scored nine goals against his team’s main rivals, placing him fourth among active goalscorers.

6. His name appears in the Guinness Book of World Records

Karim Benzema’s name was added to the Guinness World Record alongside Lionel Messi in 2021. This is after scoring his first goal of the ongoing Champions League campaign against Sheriff Tiraspol.

Since the 2005/06 season, both Benzema and Messi have scored in the Champions League in 17 consecutive seasons.

7. Oldest player to score a Champions League hat-trick

Karim Benzema. Photo by Chris Deahr. Wikimedia

Karim Benzema became the oldest player ever to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Champions League game.

He led Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Chelsea in the first leg of their quarterfinal at the age of 34 years and 108 days. He broke his national teammate Olivier Giroud’s hat-trick record of 34 years and 82 days.

8. Benzema has a unique playing style

Karim Benzema number 9. Photo by LauraHale. Wikimedia

Benzema is widely regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation. He has a reputation for both finishing and play making. He is a creative, skilled, quick, agile, and prolific forward who is good in the air and capable of playing off the last defender’s shoulders.

Benzema has been described as an “immensely talented striker” who is “strong and powerful”. Also, he’s “a potent finisher from inside the box” with either foot, as well as his head, despite being naturally right footed. He is regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation, with Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti referring to him as “the best striker in the world” in 2021.

Benzema is usually deployed as a center forward. He can play as an out-and-out striker, he is also capable of playing in several other offensive positions.

Benzema has been used on the wing, or even as a playmaker behind the main striker, either as a number 10 attacking midfielder, or as a deep-lying forward.

9. A film was made about his life

‘Le K Benzema,’  was released in 2017. It followed his rise through the ranks at Lyon and to global stardom at Real Madrid. It included interviews with his parents, friends, and teammates.

The documentary also revealed his friendship with French rapper Booba as well as his close relationship with coach Zinedine Zidane.

10. Benzema has signed a couple of sponsorship deals

Karim Benzema during an interview. Photo by Real Madrid. Wikimedia

Benzema has taken part in numerous advertising campaigns since his international rise. He was chosen as an ambassador for the FIFA series by the American video game publisher Electronic Arts.

He has signed sponsorship deals with a number of companies, including the Korean automaker Hyundai, the French telephone operator SFR and its subsidiary Buzz Mobile, the French bank LCL, and the sports betting company Bwin.

Adidas is Benzema’s sponsor. His documentary film Le K Benzema was released in 2017. Benzema launched his own YouTube channel in 2020, uploading videos of his daily life, as well as interviews and fan Q&As.