Karim Benzema is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for and captains Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad. He was born on December 19, 1987, in Lyon, France, to parents of Algerian descent. He began his career with his hometown club Lyon, where he won four Ligue 1 titles and the Coupe de France. He joined Real Madrid in 2009 and became one of the club’s most prolific scorers, winning five Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, and three Copa del Rey titles. He also played for the French national team, scoring 37 goals in 97 appearances. He retired from international football in December 2022.
There are many aspects of Karim Benzema’s life that are not widely known to the public. Here are some of them:
Benzema was born in Lyon, France, to parents of Algerian descent. He grew up in a troubled neighbourhood, where he faced discrimination, bullying, and crime. His father was a strict disciplinarian who enrolled him in a Catholic school and encouraged him to play football
Benzema started his football career at a local club called Bron Terraillon, where he impressed the scouts of Lyon. He joined Lyon’s youth academy in 1997 and made his senior debut in 2004. He won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles and one Coupe de France with Lyon, and became the league’s top scorer and player of the year in 2008
Benzema moved to Real Madrid in 2009 for a then-French record transfer fee of €35 million. He initially struggled to adapt to the Spanish league and the pressure of playing for a big club. He faced competition from other strikers like Gonzalo HiguaÃn, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Karim Benzema. He also had some off-field controversies, such as being involved in a car accident, a sex tape scandal, and a blackmail case
Benzema eventually established himself as one of the best strikers in the world, forming a formidable partnership with Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, known as the BBC. He won 24 trophies with Real Madrid, including five Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, and three Copa del Rey titles. He became the club’s second-highest all-time goalscorer and top assist provider. He also won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, becoming the first French player to do so since Zinedine Zidane in 1998
Benzema played for the French national team from 2007 to 2022, scoring 37 goals in 97 appearances. He won the UEFA Nations League in 2021 and was the runner-up in the FIFA World Cup in 2022. He retired from international football in December 2022, after being accused of involvement in a match-fixing scheme. He denied any wrongdoing and said he wanted to focus on his club career
Benzema surprised many fans when he signed for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad in 2023, at the age of 36. He said he wanted to experience a new culture and challenge himself in a different environment. He also said he was motivated by the club’s ambitious project and the opportunity to work with his former teammate Sergio Ramos, who was the club’s manager. He became the club’s captain and scored nine goals in 15 games in his first season
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