Karim Benzema is a France international football player who currently features for Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad. He plays as a striker and is regarded as one of the best players in his position in European football.
He previously spent 14 seasons with Spanish giants Real Madrid, making 648 appearances and scoring 354 goals for Los Blancos. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2022, having led Real to UEFA Champions League glory in 2021-22 and winning the bronze boot at Euro 2020, played in mid-2021.
Club Career
Benzema developed at the youth academy of French powerhouse Olympique Lyon and made his league debut for the first team on January 15, 2005 when he made a substitute appearance against Metz. Just days later he signed his first professional contract with the Ligue 1 outfit but did not make much impact for the subsequent two seasons.
The 2007-08 campaign was Benzema’s breakthrough season and he exhibited his talent. He top scored in the league with 20 goals and scored four times in the UEFA Champions League too. He signed a new contract with Lyon in March 2008 and became one of the highest paid footballers in France. Benzema was honoured with the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award that season.
Benzema continued his good form in the 2008-2009 season and scored 17 league goals in the season. Thereafter he joined Real Madrid for €35 million, but struggled in the 2009-10 season. However, Benzema made a better impact in the following two seasons, scoring 58 competitive goals and helping Los Blancos win the Copa del Rey in 2011 and La Liga in 2012.
Real endured a lean period in La Liga, not lifting the title again until 2016-17, but at the same time they won the 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 UEFA Champions League crowns. Benzema played his part in Real’s European threepeat, netting Real’s opening goal in the 2018 final which they won 3-1 over Liverpool. Domestically, he scored a then career-high 24 goals in the 2015-16 La Liga season.
But Benzema began to really excel in 2018-19, when for the first time he was named in the La Liga Team of the Season. Twelve months later, Real won the 2019-20 La Liga title, with Benzema named in the Team of the Season but also the league’s Player of the Season having netted 21 goals.
He continued to excel at a new-found level, scoring 44 goals across all competitions in 2021-22, including 15 in the UEFA Champions League, leading Real to the domestic and continental double. He was named the 2021-22 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season and top goal scorer and the 2021-22 La Liga Player of the Season.
In June 2023, he left Real Madrid to join Al Ittihad on a free transfer.
International Career
Benzema made his international debut for France against Austria on March 28, 2007 and scored on his debut too. He featured for his nation at Euro 2008, 2010 World Cup finals, Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup, scoring in his World Cup debut against Honduras.
Benzema, however, was excluded from playing for France from 2016 to 2020 following a blackmailing affair involving Mathieu Valbuena. Eventually, Benzema returned to the Les Bleus squad ahead of Euro 2020. He was Player of the Match as France beat Spain 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League final in 2021.
Benzema played a part as France qualified for the 2022 World Cup, but he missed the event due to a thigh injury suffered on its eve. France lost the final to Argentina on penalties. In December 2022, Benzema announced his retirement from international football.
