Karim is a professional French soccer player who plays as a striker, also is currently playing at Real Madrid and recently it was announced that he won’t be able to play in Qatar 2022 World Cup due to his thigh injury.
Completing nearly two decades on the professional soccer team, Karim Benzema has played numerous roles under different managers. He is highly versatile when it comes to his area of expertise; hence, it is the very point that makes him a unique striker.
Today, Karim is widely recognized as one of the best strikers in the world as he currently plays for the Spanish club Real Madrid. Likewise, he has thirteen awards to date and is also the club’s fifth all-time top goalscorer and all-time assist provider.
Here, we will talk about Karim’s life in detail, ever since his struggle during his debut days. As much as of national games, we will also learn about his international games.
Well, he has appeared in more than four international tournaments, throughout which he has earned over 90 caps.
Let us dive into the details first through a quick dose of facts.
Facts About Karim Benzema
| Full Name | Karim Mostafa Benzema |
| Date of Birth | December 19, 1987 |
| Birth Place | Lyon, France |
| Nick Name | Coco |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Nationality | French |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Age | 35 years old |
| Height | 1.85 meters (6 feet 1 inch) |
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Light Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Hafid Benzema |
| Mother’s Name | Wahida Djebbara |
| Siblings | Five sisters; Nafissa Benzema, Lydia Benzema, Laeticia Benzema, Sofia Benzema, Celia Benzema Three brothers; Gressy Benzema, Sabri Benzema, Farid Benzema |
| Education | Unknown |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Cora Gauthier |
| Kids | Two children; Ibrahim and Mélia |
| Profession | Soccer player |
| Position | Striker |
| Youth Teams | Bron Lyon |
| Senior Team | LyonLyon BReal Madrid (current) |
| Jersey Number | Nine (9) |
| Net Worth | $75 million |
Karim Benzema | Body Measurements
Karim Benzema is a physically toned man with a fair complexion and light brown eyes. Additionally, he has nicely trimmed dark brown hair.
All in all, Karim stands at a height of 1.85 meters while weighing 176 lb. Furthermore, he maintains a chest size of 1.07 meters, a waist size of 8.5 meters, and a biceps size of 3.9 meters.
Workout Routine
To maintain his fitness and firm looks, Karim has a high-intensity training routine. Talking in detail, Karim has a strength training workout on Monday and Thursday.
Likewise, on Tuesdays, Karim has a conditioning workout. It includes Russian twist, hangs clean, burpee, battle ropes, sprawl to pull-ups, and many more. Moving on, he has a cardio workout on Wednesdays.
Lastly, on Fridays, Karim has bodyweight and conditioning workouts.
Apparently, it contains pull-ups, dragon flags, dips, inverted rows, and alligator walks, to name a few. At the end of the week, Karim takes rest days on Saturdays and Sundays.
Diet Plan
For his dietary plan, Karim only takes a single meal per day and works to maintain his weight.
He mostly eats home-cooked food that his chef Alberto Mastromatteo makes, keeping the fat in control.
Furthermore, Karim takes orange juice every day and loves to eat tuna fish.
Karim Benzema | Early Life
Karim Benzema (fully named Karim Mostafa Benzema) was born in Lyon, France, on December 19, 1987. Well, he was born to his parents, Wahida Djebbara and Hafid Benzema as the sixth son out of nine children in the family.
Talking about his family background, Karim is of French national but of Algerian descent. Apparently, his family immigrated from Algeria to the troubled neighborhood of Bron.
Initially, his grandfather named Da Lakehal Benzema lived in the village of Tigzirt and only moved out of it in the 1950s. Well, his father was also born in the village of Tigzirt, while his mother was a native of Lyon.
As for his mother, she originally came from Oran. As for his siblings, Karim has five sisters; Nafissa Benzema, Lydia Benzema, Laeticia Benzema, Sofia Benzema, and Celia Benzema. Similarly, he has three brothers; Gressy Benzema, Sabri Benzema, and Farid Benzema.
Among his siblings, his younger brothers, Gressy and Sabri, are also soccer players.
At present, Gressy is at the amateur level and plays for the Vaulx-le-Velin in the Division d’Honneur. As for Sabri, he plays in the youth academy of a club at Bron.
Childhood Days
Growing up, Karim Benzema had numerous issues, from a gang fight to minor crimes as a kid. Ultimately, his father disciplined and led him to the right path.
During his tenure, he attended Catholic school and being an immigrant, it wasn’t an easy path to follow.
Back during those times, Karim was chubby and faced overweight problems. Therewith, his classmates often bullied him for it. Thus, he commenced maintaining his diet and keeping his weight under control.
Karim Benzema | Career
As a matter of fact, Karim commenced his career role at the tender age of eight through his hometown club, Bron Terraillon SC. Back then, he commenced his journey after he gained attention from the Lyon Club officials.
They were drawn to him after he scored a goal against the Lyon Youth Academy.
Right then, he got his nickname “Coco.” Not long after the incident, the Lyon officials came to scout Karim however, the Bron’s president Serge Santa Cruz, refused the offer.
Following it, the Lyons Club talked with Karim’s parents, and they agreed to the deal. Therewith, Karim initially started in the Lyon Club as a ballboy and played for their youth team.
Lyon
Indeed, being both overweight and an introverted personality, many people also criticized him for it. Thus, he initially suffered a lot as he was a timid and quiet athlete.
Despite all these, as an under-16 team, Karim played for the domestic league, Championnat National des 16 ans, where he posted 38 goals in total. Following it, he ascended to the reserve team in the 2004-05 season.
There, he played in the French fourth division, the Championnat de France amateur. With them, Karim recorded team-high ten goals.
Breakthrough And Beyond
Karim Benzema got his huge breakthrough after the 2004 season as he got promoted to the senior team. Back then, he played under the team manager Paul Le Guen.
However, he again faced laughter and jokes from his senior during the initial phase. Instantly, Karim replied to the following sentence after their jokes.
Well, not long after it, he made his professional debut on January 15, 2005. Likewise, his foremost professional start only came after three appearances in-game on April 2, 2005.
As the team’s manager, the next season changed to Gérard Houllier, who initially struggled in the play. Later, he debuted in the UEFA Champions League, where he also scored his first professional goal.
In 2007, Karim finally got his number 10 jersey and also became the lead striker role. In the meantime, he also topped the league with 20 goals and exposed his talents to numerous titles.
Right then, he extended his contract with the team and became the most-paid French athlete of the time. Altogether, he had posted 66 goals in 148 appearances for the team.
Real Madrid
After five years of togetherness with Lyon Club, Karim transferred to Spanish Club, Real Madrid on July 1, 2009, at €35 million ($36.2 million) plus incentives. Well, their contract was a six-year deal, and he later made the club debut on July 20 in the club’s opening pre-season friendly match.
Not long after it, Karim stood as the top scorer group of the club and also made his Champion league debut on September 30. Yet again, he stood as a substitute and was criticized as he couldn’t adapt to the situation.
At the same time, he had a hard time learning Spanish. In the 2010-11 season, Karim shifted to the number 9 jersey, and even after all this time, the news and talks about his weight and potential surrounded him.
Moving on in the 2011-12 season, he made his foremost La Liga Championship debut, where he only scored in the fourth game.
Later, in December 2011, Karim recorded the fastest goal with just 21 seconds into the match. A year down the lane, he stood as the best French soccer player. On August 6, 2014, he then extended his contract with the team for the next five years.
By 2017, he had also surpassed Thierry Henry and again extended his contract till 2021. The next year, after Cristiano Ronaldo left the club for Juventus, Karim stood as the new goal-setter of the team.
Top Scorer
Talking just about his 2018-19 season, he bagged 30 goals in total and became the club’s top scorer. During the 2018 UEFA Champions League group stage, Karim reached his 200th goals milestone with the club.
Following it in the 2019-20 season, he stood as the second player to score in 15 consecutive Champions League seasons after Lionel Messi. In the meantime, he also became the third Real Madrid player to have 50 goals in a particular competition.
In August 2020, Karim became the club’s top scorer with 27 goals for the second consecutive season. As of the 2021-22 season, he stood as Real Madrid’s vice-captain and made a contract extension till the 2023 season.
International Career
Youth Career
During his youth career, Karim Benzema was a member of France as the Génération 1987, where he made his international youth debut under coach Philippe Bergeroo. Later, coming under-18 leave team, he became the game starter and made his team debut through a local tournament in the Czech Republic.
Altogether, throughout his under-18 team, Karim played 18 games and posted a team-high 14 goals. During his under-21 team play, he appeared both as a starter and substitute in the first leg and second leg.
First, Karim gained his international scout in 2006 through former federation president Hamid Haddadj and then coach Jean-Michel Cavalli.
Senior Career
The same year in 2006, Katrim got his initial call-out for the national senior team through Raymond Domenech. Similarly, he made his international debut on March 28, 2007, against Austria.
At first, he struggled in the international arena during the 2008 season but made it back nicely in the 2010 season. As he was wearing the number nine jersey earlier, he stood with the number ten later.
In 2014, he finally ended his scoring drought on the national team while playing against Australia.
Qatar 2022 World Cup
In the past hour’s news, it is stated with grief that France striker Karim Benzema, due to a thigh injury suffered in training, has been ruled out of the World Cup.
“I am extremely sad for Karim, who made this World Cup a major goal,” said head coach Didier Deschamps.
“In my life, I never give up but tonight I have to think about the team like I always do,” Benzema said.
“So the reason tells me to leave my place to someone who can help our team to make a great World Cup.”
The French Football Federation said: “The whole team shares Karim’s sadness and wishes him a speedy recovery.”
Karim Benzema | Awards And Achievements
Karim Benzema is a versatile player well-known for his aerial ability, work rate, playmaking, and finishing. Besides being a skillful striker, he is also equally good in other positions such as wing and forward.
Additionally, numerous media describes him as a “nine and a half,” stating his creativity in the games. Some of his awards and achievements to date are listed below.
- Bravo Award: 2008
- Ligue 1 top scorer: 2007 to 2008
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: January & April (2008) and Player of the Year
- UNFP Best French Player playing Abroad: 2018–19, 2020–21
- Étoile d’Or: 2007–08
- EDGE Performance of the Month: March 2011
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2020–21
- UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2011–12
- La Liga Player of the Month: October 2014, June 2020, and March 2021
- French Player of the Year: 2011, 2012, and 2014
- Trophées UNFP for Best French Player playing Abroad: 2019 and 2021
- Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano: 2019–20
- MARCA’s Best Player in 2019–20 (Voted by Fans)
- Onze d’Or: 2020–21
- UEFA European Championship Bronze Boot: 2020
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2004
- La Liga: 2011–12, 2016–17, and 2019–20
- Copa del Rey: 2010–11 and 2013–14
- Supercopa de España: 2012 and 2017
- UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, and 2017–18
- UEFA Super Cup: 2014, 2016, and 2017
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018
Karim Benzema | Injuries
| Injury Type | Date of Injury | Days and Games Missed |
| Ruptured intraarticular ligament initiation in knee | March 24, 2008-April 14, 2008 | 21 days (3 games) |
| Thigh Problems | November 27, 2008-December 11, 2008 | 14 days (3 games) |
| Tear in the abductor’s muscle | February 20, 2012-March 8, 2012 | 17 days (3 games) |
| Hamstring Injury | November 5, 2012-November 15, 2012 | 10 days (2 games) |
| Knee inflammation | May 8, 2014-May 13, 2014 | 5 days (1 game) |
| Adductor problems | May 18, 2014-May 22, 2014 | 4 days |
| Medial Collateral Ligament Injury | April 16, 2015-May 7, 2015 | 21 days (6 games) |
| Strain | August 3, 2015-August 27, 2015 | 24 days (1 game) |
| Thigh Muscle Strain | October 8, 2015-November 16, 2015 | 39 days (6 games) |
| Back trouble | February 18, 2016-February 25, 2016 | 7 days (1 game) |
| Thigh Muscle Strain | February 29, 2016-March 17, 2016 | 17 days (4 games) |
| Thigh Problems | April 7, 2016-April 11, 2016 | 4 days (1 game) |
| Knee Problems | April 28, 2016-May 9, 2016 | 11 days (3 games) |
| Groin Injury | August 11, 2016-September 8, 2016 | 28 days (2 games) |
| Muscular problems | November 3, 2016-November 17, 2016 | 14 days (1 game) |
| Hamstring Injury | September 10, 2017-October 9, 2017 | 29 days (6 games) |
| Hamstring Injury | December 30, 2017-January 19, 2018 | 20 days (5 games) |
| Hamstring Injury | October 7, 2018-October 17, 2018 | 10 days |
| Fractured Finger | January 14, 2019-January 18, 2019 | 4 days (1 game) |
| Muscle Injury | April 26, 2019-May 10, 2019 | 14 days (2 games) |
| Bruise | January 6, 2020-January 17, 2020 | 11 days (2 games) |
| Muscle Injury | November 21, 2020-December 1, 2020 | 10 days (4 games) |
| Adductor problems | February 19, 2021-March 5, 2021 | 14 days (3 games) |
| Coronavirus | July 23, 2021-July 30, 2021 | 7 days |
Karim Benzema | Controversies
As we all know, Karim Benzema has always stated that he wanted to play for the French team, for which he has gained several criticisms along the way. Well, his exact comment is as below.
Later, on April 18, 2010, Karim, alongside Franck Ribéry, Sidney Govou, and Hatem Ben Arfa, was alleged to have sexual rendezvous with a prostitute. Herewith, he faced the charge of “solicitation of a minor prostitute,” and police investigated him for a similar case.
But later, the judge dropped the case stating that there was no solid evidence on the case. Almost five years after the incident, Karim again became a part of another controversy.
Apparently, Karim Benzema blackmailed Mathieu Valbuena with a recording of a sex tape on a mobile phone. However, he denied all of the wrongdoings, and yet, he ended with a six-year exile from the France national team.
Well, they made the final decision based on his phone call records, and on January 7, 2021, he faced trial.
Karim Benzema | Net Worth
At present, Karim Benzema maintains a net worth of $46 million, which he mostly earns from his soccer career. Likewise, he has an $8 million.
Apart from his career games, Karim also earns through his multiple brand endorsement deals. Well, he has a boot deal with the German sports equipment, Adidas.
Similarly, he also has deals with brands like Hyundai, SFR (Société française du radiotéléphone), LCL (Le Crédit Lyonnais), and bwin.
Likewise, Karim is an American video game publisher Electronic Arts ambassador for the FIFA series among his several advertising campaigns.
House And Cars
Similarly, he owns several car brands like Range Rover, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, and Bugatti.
Luxury
Karim Benzema has an amazing collection of cars worth £6 ($6.5 m) million, including a £1.5 million ($1.54 m) Veyron and a £2.5 million ($2.56 m) Bugatti Chiron.
Karim Benzema | Personal Life
Currently, Karim Benzema is a married man with a beautiful family of his own. He is married to Cora Gauthier, whom he met back in early 2016. Well, the duo didn’t take long to click with each other.
Just a year after their meeting, they had their son Ibrahim on May 5, 2017. Apart from it, Karim also has a daughter from his previous relationship. His daughter, Melia, was born on February 3, 2014.
Besides these, there are no details regarding the duo’s wedding. Talking Cora Gauthier is pretty private when it comes to her personal life. Well, she is a model and has appeared in several photoshoots and campaigns.
What is Karim Benzema’s career statistic like?
To date, Karim Benzema has appeared in a total of 523 games and maintained 259 goals. Likewise, the soccer player has appeared in a total of 91 games for the national team and posted 32 goals in total.
Is Karim Benzema a Muslim?
Yes, Karim Benzema is a Muslim and fasts during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Furthermore, he also stated that his faith has kept him going and given him strength.
Why does Karim have a bandaged hand?
After his recent successes, it has been alleged that the forward has kept the bandage on out of superstition. However, Benzema actually wraps his hand before each game to protect a fractured finger he sustained against Real Betis in 2019
