Karim Benzema is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad. For over a decade, Benzema has been one of the most lethal strikers on the planet, scoring over 400 goals for both club and country.
Early Life
Karim Benzema was born on 19 December 1987 in Lyon, France, as the 6th child to Hafid Benzema (Father) and Wahida Djebbara(Mother). His parents were immigrants from Algeria.
He grew up in a crime ridden neighbourhood of Bron in France. It was discipline instilled by his father at an early age prevented him from getting involved.
Benzema began his footballing career at his hometown club of Bron Terraillon aged just 8 years. While at Bron, he scored 2 goals against Lyon Under 10s attracting interest from Lyon Officials who convinced his parents to let him join their youth team.
At Lyon, he quickly rose through their academy system and scored a staggering 38 goals for under-16 team in the under-16 French league.
Club Career
Lyon
Benzema made his senior career debut for Lyon on 15 January 2005, coming on as a substitute in a 2-0 win. He clearly made his mark in the 2007/09 period after becoming a regular first team player following the exit of Florent Malouda, John Carew and Sylvain Wiltord from Lyon. He managed 66 goals in 148 appearances before exiting Lyon in 2009.
Real Madrid
On 1 July 2009, it was announced that Lyon and Real Madrid had reached an agreement for the transfer of Benzema, for a fee of £30 million. This marked the beginning of a new journey with Real Madrid that has lasted for over a decade.
Benzema has been integral in the Real Madrid's triumphs in the last decade, winning the Champions league 4 times. Despite struggling in his first 3 seasons, Benzema has since proved his doubters wrong and cemented his place as one of the most feared strikers, scoring to 300 goal for Los Blancos.
International Career
Benzema is a former France youth international having earned caps at all levels for which he was eligible. He was part of France team that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
Benzema made his senior debut for France on 27 March 2007 against Austria, and scored the only goal of the match. He has since represented France at the World Cup and Euro tournament making over 90 appearances, scoring 31.
Controversies and legal matters
His international career has also been rocked with controversy, which has prompted him being left out of the team on several occasions.
In 2010 Benzema was alleged to have had a sexual rendezvous with a prostitute when she was 16 years of age, an act Benzema denied through his lawyer.
He was on the spotlight again in 2015 when he was arrested by French police for his alleged part in blackmailing fellow France international player Mathieu Valbuena over the alleged recording of a sex-tape on a mobile phone.
Family, Children & Relationships
Benzema’s Net worth & Salary
Benzema's current contract will keep him at Al-Ittihad until 2025. His annual salary is believed to be a mouthwatering $107 million.
He also boasts endorsement deals with the likes of Adidas, Hyundai and Bwin. All these supplement his annual earnings alongside his business investments.
His net worth in 2023 is approximately $70 million. This lands him in the list of the richest footballers in the world today.
Benzema's Cars
Like other elite athletes, Benzema is a massive petrol head and has great love for fast, expensive sports cars.
His car collection is worth over £6 million and consist of luxurious cars like Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Urus SUV, Ferrari 458 spider, Mercedes Benz-SLR and Rolls Royce Wraith.
The most expensive car in Benzema's collection is Bugatti Chiron. His former Real Madrid teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, also owns a Chiron.
