Karim Mostafa Benzema is a French professional footballer.
He plays as a striker for the La Liga club Real Madrid and the France national team.
Born in Lyon to Algerian parents, Benzema began his senior career with hometown club Olympique Lyonnais in 2005, contributing periodically to three Ligue 1 title wins.
Benzema won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and made his senior debut for France in 2007, at age 19.
He has since earned over 90 caps, including scoring in three and appearing in four major tournaments: 2008, 2012 and 2020 editions of the UEFA European Championship, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Why is Benzema called Coco?
Benzema started his football career at his hometown club Bron Terraillon SC at the age of eight.
While at the club, he was nicknamed Coco by friends and, after scoring two goals in an under-10 match against the Lyon youth academy, began attracting attention from the biggest club in the city.
Where is Benzema family from?
Karim Benzema was born in the city of Lyon to French nationals of Algerian descent.
