Biography of Karim Benzema [Age, Height, Wife, Kids, Family, Salary, Award & Net worth ]

Completing nearly two decades on the professional football team, Karim Benzema has played numerous roles under different managers. He is highly versatile when it comes to the 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 but first through a quick dose of facts.

Quick Facts

Full NameFootball star, Karim Benzema/Instagram
Date of Birth	December 19, 1987
Birth Place	Lyon, France
Nick Name	Coco
Religion	Muslim
Nationality	French
Ethnicity	White
Zodiac Sign	Sagittarius
Age	34 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	Football player
Position	Striker
Youth Teams	Bron Lyon
Senior Team	Lyon Lyon B Real Madrid (current)
Jersey Number	Nine (9)
Net Worth	$46 million
Social Media	Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
Merch	Poster, Autographed Photo
Last Update	August, 2022

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 the height of 1.85 meters (6 feet 1 inch) while weighing 80 kg (176 lb). Furthermore, he maintains his chest size of 42 inches / 1.07 meters, a waist size of 33 inches / 8.5 meters, and a biceps size of 15 inches / 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, alligator walk, 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 football 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, as per the Bron’s president Serge Santa Cruz, he 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 of 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 posted 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 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, he initially struggled in the play. Later, he debuted for 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 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 situations.

At the same time, he had a hard time learning Spanish. In the 2010-11 season, Karim shifted to 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 Footballer. 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 the 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.

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.

At 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.

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 with 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.

“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, were 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 football 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 USD.

Similarly, he owns several car brands like Range Rover, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, and Bugatti.

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 about Cora Gauthier, she 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 42.4 million followers.

Likewise, he is on Twitter as Karim Benzema (@Benzema) with 13.3 million followers. Furthermore, he is also on YouTube as Karim Benzema with 360k subscribers. His YOuTube account has new video uploads every day that includes his interviews and fan Q&As.

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.