Personal Life

Karim Mustafa Benzema is a French professional footballer currently playing for the French national football team and Spain's "Real Madrid".

He was born on December 19, 1987, in Lyon, France, to Hafid Benzema and Wahida Djebbara, French nationals of Algerian descent. He grew up in a small house in Bron and led a modest lifestyle along with his eight siblings.  He joined Lyon-based French football club "Olympique Lyonnais", better known as "Lyon", at the age of nine.

He is a devout Muslim and fasts during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

At France national football Team

UEFA Nations League: 2020–21

FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2022

At Real Madrid

La Liga: 2011–12, 2016–17, 2019–20, 2021–22

Copa del Rey: 2010–11, 2013–14, 2022–23

UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2021–22

UEFA Super Cup: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022

FIFA Club World Cup: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022

Individual

UEFA Men's Player of the Year: 2021–22

Golden Player Man Award: 2022

UEFA Champions League Player of the Season: 2021–2

UEFA Champions League top goalscorer: 2021–22
French Player of the Year: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2021
La Liga Player of the Season: 2019–20, 2021–22
Globe Soccer Awards Men's Player of the Year: 2022
La Liga Player of the Month: October 2014, June 2020, March 2021, September 2021,April 2022
UEFA European Championship Bronze Boot: 2020
UEFA Nations League Finals Bronze Boot: 2021

Experience of Benzema

He started his football career at the age of 8, joining the local football club "Bron Terraillon SC". Benzema managed to attract the attention of 'Lyon' club officials after scoring two goals in an 'Under-10' game. He eventually joined "Lyon" in 1996.After joining Lyon, he became a member of the club's youth academy, where he quickly climbed into the youth team. He scored 38 goals in the French domestic league "Champion Country 16s" in which players under the age of 16 played. 

Before the 2004-2005 season "Ligue 1", he was promoted to the club's reserve team for the football league "Championnat de France Amateur". He made his professional debut on 15 January 2005 against "FC Metz", which "Lyon" won 2-0. Later, Benzema signed a three-year professional contract. He made his UEFA Champions League debut on 6 December 2005 in the final group match of "Lyon" against Norwegian club "Rosenberg", which won 2-1. Also in this game, Benzema scored the first professional goal!

On July 9, 2009, he signed a six-year contract with "Real Madrid". His debut for the club came in a pre-season friendly against Irish club Shamrock Rovers in Dublin on 20 July that year. He scored his first goal for the club in the same game and led them to a 1-0 win.

On the eve of the 2022 World Cup, Benzema withdrew from the national team due to injury, but although he recovered from the injury, he declined the invitation to return to the national team for the rest of the World Cup, and also declined the invitation of the French Football Federation to attend the final between Argentina and France. On 19 December 2022, on his 35th birthday, Benzema announced his retirement from the national team on his social media.

On June 4, 2023, Real Madrid Football Club announced on its official website that Karim Benzema will leave the club at the end of the season.

On June 6, 2023, Karim Benzema officially signed a joint contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.

On 23 February 2024, in the second leg of the AFC Champions League 1/8 final, Benzema headed the goal to help Al Nassr win 2-1 at home to Navbahor Namangan and qualify for the last eight.   On April 12, the Saudi Super Cup final, Benzema started, and finally Jeddah United lost 1-4 to Al Hilal , winning the Sand Super Cup runner-up. On 16 September 2024, in the third round of the Saudi Professional League, Benzema scored a hat-trick to help Al Nassr win 7-1 at home to Al Wehda. On 28 September, in the fifth round of the Saudi League, Benzema crossed the ball to help Al Nassr defeat Al-Khaleej 4-1 at home.