Karim Benzema Bio | Career, Net Worth, Wife & Stats

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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.

Football star, Karim Benzema
Soccer Star, Karim Benzema (Source Instagram)

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. 

Quick Facts | Karim Mostafa 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 36 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
  • Lyon
  • Lyon B
  • Real Madrid (current)
Jersey Number Nine (9)
Net Worth $75 million
Social Media Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
Merch  Poster, Autographed Photo
Last Update  March, 2024

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.

During the days, he focuses on squats, reverses lunges, barbell push, chin-ups, rack pull, G swings, and knee-to-chest tucks. 

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. 

Karim's selfie during workout
Karim’s Selfie During Workout (Source Instagram)

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. 

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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. 

Karim during the Euro 2020
Karim During The Euro 2020 (Source Instagram)

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. 

“Do not laugh at me. Remember, I was once a ball boy to you all, but now, I am here to compete, take the club’s number 10 shirt and your place.”
-Karim Benzema 

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. 

In 2011, Karim posted his 100th professional goal against his hometown club and later ended a campaign just behind Ronaldo with his scores.

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. 

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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. 

Karim with his team, Real Madrid
Karim With His Team, Real Madrid (Source Instagram)

Likewise, Karim posted 200 La Liga goals as one of the only four Real Madrid players. 

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. 

Benzema won the Ballon d’Or and the UEFA Player of the Year for his performances in 2021/22 season. He is the fifth French player to win the Ballon d’Or.

He is the second-oldest winner of the award.

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. 

Karim Benzema has always been a versatile striker
Karim Benzema Has Always Been A Versatile Striker (Source Pinterest)

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. 

“It’s my parents’ country; it’s in my heart. But good after sporting, it’s true that I will play in the French team. Then it’s more for the sporting side, because Algeria is my country, here, my parents come from there. After, France … It’s more sporty, that’s it.”
-Karim Benzema

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. 

“A great athlete should be exemplary. If he is not, he has no place in the France team. There are so many kids, so many youngsters in our suburbs that relate to great athletes. They wear the blue jersey, the colors of France, which are so important in these moments.”
-French Prime Minister Manuel Valls

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

As for the house, Karim Benzema bought a luxury designer house in France, India, in 2015. Well, it is estimated to cost around $2.7 Million. 

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. 

Karim and his son
Karim And His Son (Source Instagram)

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. 

Social Media

If you are interested in Karim Benzema’s personal uploads and posts, check out his social media sites. He is on Instagram as Karim Benzema (@kamrimbenzema) with 60.7 million followers. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Karim Benzema (@karimbenzema)

Likewise, he is on Twitter as Karim Benzema (@Benzema) with 18.3 million followers. Furthermore, he is also on YouTube as Karim Benzema with 526 K subscribers. His YouTube account has new video uploads every day that includes his interviews and fan Q&As. 

Popularity

karim's-popularity
Karim’s Popularity (Source: Google Trends)

Karim Benzema | FAQs

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

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Rajani Gurung
Rajani Gurung
Hey, I'm Rajani! As a digital content writer, I write for several websites on a wide range of topics. At Playersbio, I cover to write about hot trending celebrities and news. My professional experience makes me write the hard topics in a simplified manner for easiness.

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