[233], Benzema is a former France youth international having earned caps at all levels for which he was eligible, excluding the under-16 team. But just how many goals has he scored so far? [212] Benzema's brace allowed him to become only the fourth Madrid player in history to score 200 La Liga goals after Di Stefano, Raul and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Polish striker was born on January 16th 1988 which makes him just 25 years old at the time this article is published making him one of Europes youngest legends in football history. Mourinho was later credited with Benzema's transformation,[120] but denied full responsibility and, instead, gave credit to the striker himself. Following an injury to Higuan in early January 2010, Pellegrini inserted Benzema back into the starting lineup. [78], In late November, Benzema began appearing mainly as a substitute as manager Manuel Pellegrini preferred Gonzalo Higuan in the lead striker role. If you have a golf club shaft thats too long, or if you want to shorten it, here are the steps: [297], After last featuring for France in a 40 win against Armenia on 8 October 2015, French Football Federation announced on 13 April 2016 that Benzema would not be picked for Euro 2016 tournament on home soil. Required fields are marked *. (15) has scored 10+ goals in additional campaigns within the competition these days compared to Frenchman (11 David Rental property scored in 10). [9], "When I was younger, the way Ronaldo played had an influence on me. [118] The striker was impressive in the pre-season scoring eight goals in seven matches. Benzema had four minutes earlier been denied a legitimate goal, the offside flag wrongly raised when he turned in Ribry's low cross into the net with his torso a metre from the Ukrainian goal-line. At this rate, it seems inevitable that he will surpass. [63], On 1 July 2009, it was announced that Lyon had reached an agreement with Spanish club Real Madrid for the transfer of Benzema. [184] He scored three goals in six matches, all of them against Plze, helping Real Madrid topping Group G.[185] Later on 13 February of the following year, in the first leg of the competition's round of 16, Benzema scored the opener of a 21 away win over Ajax,[186] reaching 60 Champions League goals, becoming only the fourth player to do so. On 16 July, Benzema's brace against Villarreal secured Real Madrid's 34th La Liga title, after a 21 win at the Di Stefano their 10th consecutive league win after the lockdown. The Football Arena Luis Suarez 458 career goals Robert Lewandowski 458 career goals! [196], When La Liga restarted after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Benzema scored a brace against Valencia in Real Madrid's second game back at the Alfredo Di Stfano Stadium on 18 June his first goals at Madrid's new temporary home ground. The accusation came from international teammate William Gallas who inserted the charge in his autobiography. Who is the Most Handsome Cricketer From Australia? [296] France were later knocked out by eventual winners Germany in the quarter-final stage of the tournament. Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. [122] In the team's second league match of the season against Getafe, Benzema scored a double in a 42 victory. The Dutch midfielder's effort has been officially record as the Premier League's second fastest goal. I have a new home and I'm learning Spanish to understand myself better with my teammates. His goal contribution rate averaged out at 66.42 minutes per goal scored and assisted, making him one of the most reliable attacking players on Madrids roster that year. [227] On 28 May, he won his fifth Champions League title after a 10 win over Liverpool in the final, and finished the tournament as top scorer with 15 goals in total. How useful are compensated job consultancies within the job search in India? Both players have been with their respective teams for a long time now, so there is no telling how good their careers could get. However, the season in which El Gato scored the most goals was the2011/2012 season, the year in which he scored32 goals in total. Benzema was called up for the first time to the senior national team by Raymond Domenech on 9 November 2006 for the team's friendly match against Greece that would be played on 15 November. Under Houllier, he struggled for meaningful minutes due to the presence of newly signed Brazilian striker Fred, as well as Sylvain Wiltord. Thanks to his contribution, whichtends to go beyond simple goals, we will also highlightthe creative side of Karim Benzema(assists) when talking about hisstatistics this season. ", "Franck Ribry and Karim Benzema held in prostitution investigation", "French prosecutors accept that Ribery did not know prostitute was a minor", "French court drops Ribery and Benzema prostitution case", "Karim Benzema arrested by police in sex-tape blackmail case", "Manuel Valls: "Un sportif doit tre exemplaire", "Benzema n'est plus slectionnable en quipe de France", "Affaire de la " sextape " de Valbuena: une victoire judiciaire pour Karim Benzema", "Real Madrid star Karim Benzema to stand trial in sex tape case", "Karim Benzema: French footballer guilty in sex tape blackmail case", "Real Madrid star Karim Benzema convicted over sex tape blackmail plot", "Affaire de la sextape: Karim Benzema se dsiste de son appel, pilogue aprs six ans de procdure", "Un nouveau live de Karim Benzema sur Instagram fait polmique", "A Real Madrid striker called himself a 'Formula One car,' and his international teammate a 'go-kart' in an astonishing outburst on Instagram", "Real Madrid clinch 35th La Liga title with four games to spare after victory over Espanyol", "Modric and Benzema fire Real Madrid to the Supercopa title", "Champions League final: Vincius Jnior scores only goal as Real Madrid deny Liverpool again", "Real Madrid 20 Eintracht Frankfurt: Five-star Madrid triumph in Helsinki", "Vinicius and Valverde dazzle as five-star Madrid conquer", "France beat Spain to win Nations League", "Argentina beat France on penalties in best World Cup Final ever", "Ballon d'Or 2022 as it happened Karim Benzema wins Ballon d'Or, Sadio Mane second", "Karim Benzema wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year award", "KARIM BENZEMA REMPORTE LE ONZE D'OR DU MEILLEUR JOUEUR DE LA SAISON! Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. [221] On 6 April, he scored another hat-trick in the Champions League in a 31 away win over Chelsea in the first leg of the quarter-finals. The 35-year-old forward scored two goals in the World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties against France following a 3-3 draw after extra time. His conversion rate for shots to goals is 60. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid top scorer! [242] He opened the tournament by scoring two goals in a 70 victory over Cameroon. This puts Benzema's npxG output at 4.16 which puts him in the top 93 percentile of La Liga players. [76] He made his Champions League debut for the club on 30 September in a group stage tie against Marseille. This makes him the number 8 scorer in the Ligue 1 so far. Benzema scored his goal when he side-footed home after a huge scramble in the Ukrainian penalty box, although he was shown on television replays to be offside by almost one metre when the ball took a final touch off Mathieu Valbuena's chest. How many goals has Benzema scored in his career? in which he scored seven goals as Argentina ended . [135] Benzema scored against the latter club in the Copa del Rey in each leg of the Round of 16. [86] After failing to score in his first two starts in the absence of Higuan, against Deportivo La Corua on 30 January, he scored a double in an important 31 away win. Joselu celebrates scoring against Cadiz CF in October After an extortion problem that we will not delve into here,Benzema was marginalized from the calls. [81] Benzema was defended by his compatriot Zinedine Zidane, who admitted "after two months, I was also criticized" and that Benzema was "a talented player and talented players in Madrid must win". [91] Blanc also stated that the striker needed to shed weight in order to fulfill his potential. 32 goals against 637 minutes = 0.050235. Hes also won two UEFA Champions League titles and one La Liga title with Real Madrid. An acrobatic and industrious centre forward, he scored forty- three goals in his seventy-two appearances for West Germany, and captained his country in the World Cup in 1966 and 1970. 1 goals in national team ( Nations League Division A). [62] He scored his 17th goal the following weekend against Caen in a 31 victory moving him into third place among Ligue 1 top scorers. [13][338] His grandfather, Da Lakehal Benzema, lived in the village of Tigzirt, located in the northern town of At Djellil in Algeria before migrating to Lyon, where he eventually settled in the 1950s. However, six minutes later, a Lionel Messi strike gave Barcelona the supercup. "[351] Benzema drew some criticism for these comments, as well as for his reluctance to sing the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise", before each match with the national team. Ukraine had won the first leg of the play-off 20 in Kyiv just four days earlier. The transfer fee was priced at 35million with the fee rising to as much as 41million based on incentives. In 28 matches across all competitions, Messi has already scored 17 goals and added 16 assists to surpass his tally of goal contributions for the entirety of last season. France would eventually win the second leg 30 to advance to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil with a 32 aggregate scoreline. Originally Answered: Who is the better striker Luis Suarez or Robert Lewandowski? Robert Lewandowski is the all-time top goalscorer for the Polish national football team. [58] Two weeks later, he scored his 12th goal against Nancy in a 20 victory. Benzema has scored an average of 2 goals per club since Ronaldo left Madrid, compared to Ronaldos 1 goal every other club. - Benzema scored more Champions League goals than 23 of the teams who qualified for the competition this season, including Juventus, Manchester United, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Inter and Borussia Dortmund. [23] A month later, Benzema scored his first professional double in a 40 win over Grenoble in the Coupe de France. The Real Madrid striker, now 35, scored 44 goals in 46 games for his club last season, inspiring them to glory in the Champions League and La Liga. [82], On 5 December, Benzema appeared as a substitute for Rafael van der Vaart and scored the third goal in a 60 romp of Almera. Benzema expressed gratitude at winning the award, stating, "It is a pleasure to win an individual trophy. His goal was later cancelled out by a Ronaldinho penalty. 1. [295] In the second group fixture, he scored and had a penalty saved in a 52 defeat of Switzerland, as Les Bleus all but secured qualification to the knockout stage. [228] On 31 May, Benzema was named the inaugural Champions League player of the season. [96] In late November, Benzema was inserted into the starting eleven following a severe back injury to Higuan, along with the team's lack of senior strikers. During the time when Real Madrid relied on Cristiano Ronaldo to score goals, Karim Benzema was heavily criticized for being a goalless player despite always being removed from his natural position and not having as many chances in front of the goal for always looking for that millimeter pass for Cristiano. This was the last time Barca fans witnessed Messi, Neymar and Suarez together as one of the best front three in Football. His LaLiga goal tallies since then: 21, 21, 23, a personal best of 27 in 2021-22, and 11 so far this season. [206] On 14 August, Benzema scored a brace against Alaves as Los Blancos kicked off the league season with a 14 away win to sit at the top of the table. In the league, he converted his three goals in wins over Osasuna and Valencia, while he scored his two Champions League goals in a 62 group stage win over Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb. He has scored over 500 career goals for club and country. Luis Suarezs 13/14 Season Is The Best In Premier League History And The Highlights Are Sensational. 281 goalsBenzema: 19 trophies and 281 goals for Real Madrid. Who is de highest goal scorer in the world? Domenech cited Benzema's struggle for form with his new club Real Madrid, rather than his alleged involvement in a sex scandal as his reason for leaving the striker out. With us it's easy to find the job you want! He joined from Lyon what seems like a lifetime ago (but was actually only 2009). Benzema, driven by theReal Madrid media machine, statements by former players and teammates, and by his current excellent level, is the winner of the 2021 Ballon dOr. Which country did Faiq Bolkiah come from. 1x Winner Ballon d'Or . Frequently Asked Questions [336][337], Benzema was born in Lyon to French nationals of Algerian descent. [125] In the club's next Champions League match against Lyon, Benzema scored again by netting the opener in a 40 win against Lyon. He has scored over 500 career goals for club and country. 159 Propagandastaffel had three goals: Heller, Un allemand a Paris, 2728. [59] The next nine matches, both Benzema and Lyon's form dwindled losing four matches, drawing three and winning only two with Benzema scoring only two goals in that stretch, both of them against Le Mans in a 31 victory. How many goals has Benzema scored in his career? [172] He was a regular starter, and scored the last goal of the season which gave him eleven for the campaign, when Madrid won the 201617 La Liga[173][174] and the 201617 UEFA Champions League. Benzema now has 413 goals to his name for club and country. On the domestic front in 2022, he helped PSG to the Ligue 1 title and scored 17 goals and registered 24 assists in 37 appearances. [144] On 29 April, Benzema put in a masterful performance scoring two goals and assisting another in a 30 win over Sevilla. [209] Wearing the armband, Benzema was the first Madrid captain to score a hat-trick since Raul in 2008. Benzema's first half volley was the first official goal under Ancelotti in his second stint. The website has been operational since 2021 and offers news, game reports, statistics, videos, and other related content. Karim Benzema has extended his deal at Real Madrid until 2023. Champions League all-time top scorers: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema | UEFA Champions League | UEFA.com Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi lead the. Benzema had more trophies, more goals, more match wins, more assists, more dribbles, and more goals involvement than Drogba. Video advice: Karim Benzema Vs Gonzalo Higuain Career Compared Match, Goals, Assist, Cards, Trophies & More. [74] A month later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 50 victory against newly promoted Xerez. [152] On 18 January 2014, he scored his 100th goal for Madrid in a 50 victory at Real Betis. ", "Karim Benzema le footballeur est devenu papa", "Karim Benzema est papa pour la deuxime fois", "Ramadan Fasting For Real Madrid Trio Lassana, Benzema and Diarra", "Real Madrid's Algerian-French Striker Karim Benzema Stars on the Cover of Vogue Man Arabia's Fall/Winter 2019 Issue", "Benzema priv d'quipe de France: doit-il craindre pour ses sponsors? He earned 97 caps, including scoring in three and appearing in four major tournaments, and ranks as France's fifth-highest all-time top goalscorer. [112] For his performances during the campaign, particularly during the second half, Benzema was praised by Mourinho, club officials Florentino Prez and Emilio Butragueo, as well as national team manager Laurent Blanc. [132] He became only the second French player based in Spain to win the award, and also the second Real Madrid player to capture it. [216] With his goal against Sevilla in La Liga on 28 November, he became the highest French goalscorer in club football matches, overtaking Thierry Henry. LaLiga - 27 Goals : 21/22: UEFA Champions League - 15 Goals . [255] He featured in qualification matches for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and appeared as a starter and substitute in the first leg and second leg, respectively, of the team's surprising defeat to Israel in the qualifying playoffs. The most recent of them occurred in September 2021 against Celta de Vigo at the Santiago Bernabu: What is Karim Benzema 's record for goals in a season? [260] Two days before the match, he was forced to withdraw from the team due to a thigh injury, which he suffered while playing domestically for Lyon. [176] Later on 6 March of the following year, Benzema made his 100th UEFA Champions League appearance by playing in the 21 win at Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of 201718 UEFA Champions League round of 16 as Real Madrid progressed to the next round 52 on aggregate. Despite losing the title, Benzema got back on track scoring his 15th and 16th goals of the season on 17 May in a 31 away victory over rivals Marseille, the first goal being a penalty. [25], Benzema began earning more playing time in the 200607 season and made his competitive season debut in the 2006 Trophe des Champions against Paris Saint-Germain. He scored goals against Granada and Mlaga. [218], On 9 March, he scored a hat-trick within 17 minutes in a remarkable comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16. Over the course of the two matches, Benzema scored one goal, which came in the first match, a 40 win. Benzema has scored 287 goals in 566 games for Real Madrid. [181], With the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in July 2018, Benzema became Real Madrid's new goal-getter scoring 30 goals in all competitions in 201819 as the club's top scorer for the campaign. Karim Benzema, latest news & rumours, player profile, . [369], In March 2020, during an Instagram livestream with YouTuber Mohamed Henni,[370] Benzema made controversial remarks about French player Olivier Giroud, who replaced Benzema in the France national team. He scored his three goals in wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, and Albania. [109] On 30 April, he scored a goal in the team's 32 loss to Real Zaragoza. [75] After missing the mid-week match against Villarreal, against Tenerife at the weekend, Benzema scored his first double for Madrid in a 30 home victory. [131] Three days after his record-breaking goal, for his performances during the 2011 calendar year, Benzema was named the France Football French Player of the Year, beating out Barcelona defender Eric Abidal and Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. He uploaded a screenshot from a. His goal contribution rate averaged out at 66.42 minutes per goal scored and assisted, making him one of the most reliable attacking players on Madrid's roster that year. [93] Following the September international break, he made his first start in a 10 win over Osasuna. His official debut with the senior team took place in March 2007, in a friendly match against Austria in which El Gato scored the only goal in the 1-0 victory. With Lyon, his highest scoring season was 2007/2008, the year in which hescored 31 goals in total, this being his second season with the most goals in his entire career. [339] Benzema's father, Hafid, was born in Tigzirt, while his mother, Wahida Djebbara, was born and raised in Lyon; her family originated from Oran. Benzema finished as Champions League top scorer as he won his fifth title in 2022. [279], Following the World Cup, Benzema returned to the national team under the reign of new coach Laurent Blanc. [87][88] Following the return of Higuan, Benzema was relegated back to a substitute's role and finished the campaign by making eight consecutive appearances off the bench. From Miami to Manchester! Atltico Madrid was where he began his career, as he scored 53 goals in 111 league games over the course of four years . Luis Suarez best ever season for club (p90) : (2015/16) 53 games 4766 minutes 59 goals (1.11) 24 assists (0.45) 83 G/A (1.57) 166 shots (3.13) 80 chances created (1.51) 4 trophies won, not even TOP 5 in Ballon Dor. [42] For his efforts that season, he was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, selected to the Team of the Year and awarded the Trophe du Meilleur Buteur for being the league's top scorer. Benzema is currently top scorer in LaLiga with 29 goals including 10 this season despite playing most of his football away from home due to Real Madrids Champions League commitments..5 Lastly, be sure to check out our latest story about how you can get benzema haircare. ", "Spielerumfrage: Nkunku meilenweit vor Lewandowski", "Benzema et Reyes, rcompenss par l'Association de la Presse Sportive de Madrid", "Sergio Ramos, in the L'Equipe team of the year", "L'quipe type monde en 2021 des internautes de "L'quipe", "Benzema, Courtois, Modri and Casemiro in 'L'quipe team of 2022 | Real Madrid CF", "Cristiano Ronaldo wins EURO 2020 Alipay Top Scorer award", "Revealed: UEFA Nations League goal of the tournament", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Karim_Benzema&oldid=1142615644, *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:35, 25 February 2023 (UTC). [234] Benzema was the last of the four to make his youth international debut under coach Philippe Bergeroo and officially joined the team ahead of the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship that was played on home soil. At a professional level,Benzema has scored up to 8 hat-tricks, divided between one of them in his career with Lyon andthe rest with Real Madrid. [263] On 13 October, Benzema scored a double in a 60 win against the Faroe Islands. ", "Benzema hits back after FFF president backs World Cup omission", "Benzema would have to lose French nationality to play for Algeria", "La liste des vingt-six pour l'UEFA Euro 2020", "France's Karim Benzema misses penalty, Kylian Mbappe scores in win over Wales", "Cristiano Ronaldo steers Portugal into last 16 as Karim Benzema seals top spot for France", "Theo Hernandez caps France's fightback to stun Belgium in semi-final thriller", "Karim Benzema overtakes Zindine Zidane in the scorers' standings", "Spain vs. France Football Match Report", "UEFA Nations League finals top scorer: Kylian Mbapp", "Benzema becomes most decorated French player in history after Nations League win", "France 80 Kazakhstan: Kylian Mbappe scores four times for world champions to book Qatar place", "Benzema "proud" to have overtaken Trezeguet in number of goals", "Karim Benzema forfait pour la Coupe du Monde", "Karim Benzema: France striker ruled out of 2022 World Cup in Qatar", "Karim Benzema may be awarded World Cup medal despite withdrawing from France team", "KARIM BENZEMA RETIRES FROM INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL - 'I HAVE WRITTEN MY STORY AND OURS IS ENDING', "Finisher, creator, Real Madrid leader: Should Benzema be in contention for the Ballon d'Or? [165] He was a regular starter when the team won the 201516 UEFA Champions League. [232] By scoring in the 2022 UEFA Super Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt on 10 August 2022, Benzema brought his tally to 324 goals, overtaking Ral as Real Madrid's all-time second-highest goalscorer. 2022: Real Madrid: 4x Footballer of the Year . [252] After surprisingly drawing 00 with Belarus, France faced Scotland in the final group stage match. For this reason, going and coming between the lower categories, Benzemaadded a total of 35 games in the youth France. [22] On 6 December, he made his UEFA Champions League debut in Lyon's final group stage match against Norwegian club Rosenborg. Karim Benzema 's has the following offensive skills. With Real Madrid, Karim Benzema has had two seasons in which he scored30 goals,2018/2019 and 2020/2021. With competition from other top forwards such as Ronaldo and Neymar, it will be interesting to see how Benzema fares next term given his recent form. Felipe Anderson. 281 goalsBenzema: 19 trophies and 281 goals for Real Madrid. 10 @realmadridens Karim Benzema ?? The 20 Most Beautiful Australian Cricketers 2023, Who is the Most Handsome Cricketer From Pakistan? [354][355] Benzema was alleged to have had a sexual rendezvous with a prostitute when she was 16 years of age, an act Benzema denied through his lawyer. His reputation as one of the world's best operators in European football has risen multi-folds year after year, as has his goal-scoring output. How many goals has Karim Benzema scored from the penalty spot? Benzema began the 200506 season under the tutelage of new manager Grard Houllier. , 'They're taking the p*ss!' It brings me benefits and it's my strength for me, my family, as well as for my work for literally everything. UrduSport is a sports news website with the goal of covering all aspects of sports in the world. [39], "It's a compliment to be compared to Zinedine Zidane, but we are different players. He scored three of Real Madrid's 13 goals of the month, in which they won three matches and only conceded just one goal. He was chosen as an ambassador of the American video game publisher Electronic Arts for the FIFA series. The 32-year old finds himself on 11 league goals in 20 matches, level with current Ballon D'Or holder and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, his tally only second to Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski who leads the league on 15 goals. ", Benzema on the influence of his idol, Brazilian striker Ronaldo, on his own career. lewandowski is so consistent scoring 40+goals for five season consecutively. [31] The injury resulted in the striker missing three months of action before returning in February 2007. The 10 Best Right Wingers in the World 2023, Erling Haaland Career Goals 2023 (Updated): Total Career Analysis 2015-2023, Who is the Most Handsome Cricketer From Australia? [265] The match finished 00 and Benzema was, subsequently, criticized by the French media for his performance with newspaper Le Point declaring that Benzema was "unrecognizable" and that he "symbolized the impotence of France in the attack". The 20 Most Saint-tienne (92) Ligue 1, Matchday 23, Season 2007/2008, SM Caen (54) Ligue 1, Matchday 35, Season 2007/2008, Frances Best Footballer of the Year 2011, Best footballer of the year of France 2012, Frances Best Footballer of the Year 2014. [243] After going scoreless in the team's next match against Sierra Leone, Benzema responded by scoring a goal in a shutout victory over Nigeria and netting another double in a 41 win against Egypt. But well, from a sporting perspective, it's true I'll play in the French team. How many assists/goal passes has Karim Benzema provided? His goal involvement equates to 1.04 per 90 minutes. In the competition, he appeared in two matches. [319], Generally known for both his finishing and playmaking,[320] Benzema is regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation. How many goals did Lionel Messi score this season? "[84] After nearly a month coming off of the bench, he started alongside Higuan away to Valencia on 12 December. [217] On 8 January, Benzema scored his 300th goal for Madrid, converting a penalty in a 41 win at home in La Liga against Valencia. Blanc, an admirer of Benzema, sought to build the attack around the striker and, after going almost a year without representing France, Benzema made his return to the team in its 21 defeat to Norway in Oslo. Which country did Faiq Bolkiah come from? How many goals Benzema scored for Real Madrid? [118] The spell at the clinic was ultimately a success after the striker arrived at pre-season 8 kilograms (18lb) lighter. Live Scores; Breaking News; Transfers; Culture. Footballs GOAT is a matter of continuous debate within the community, but the consensus in recent years has narrowed the question down to one of two players: Who is the wealthiest footballer in the world? How many times has Benzema scored three or more goals? Karim Benzema has long been regarded as one of the greatest strikers of his generation, but just how many goals has he scored to date? 23. His tally of 38 goals during the 19891990 season remains the record for the highest individual season goal tally in league history (20092010 FIFA Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi is second with 34). Included in those ten goals were doubles in three straight matches against Mlaga, Racing de Santander and Hrcules, as well as a goal in the first leg of Madrid's Round of 16 tie against former club Lyon. A post shared by Karim Benzema (@karimbenzema). [222] Benzema became only the second player (after Cristiano Ronaldo) to score back-to-back hat-tricks in successive Champions League knockout matches. [291] In the second leg of the 2014 World Cup qualification play-off against Ukraine held on 19 November 2013 at the Stade de France, Benzema scored France's second goal in the 34th minute to level the aggregate score at 22. Live Scores. From his arrival to the present, Karim has gone from being a player with few focuses to being the best player at the club. 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. Benzema opened his goal account for 202021 on 4 October, away to Levante in La Liga, netting his 250th goal for Real Madrid in all competitions. [286] After appearing regularly in qualifying for Euro 2012, on 29 May 2012, Benzema was named to the squad to participate in the competition. Prior to representing France at senior international level, Benzema was courted by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) who sought for the player to represent Algeria at senior international level.