Karim Mostafa Benzema is a French footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish giants Real Madrid. Born in the city of Lyon, Benzema started his footballing career with local club Bron Terraillon, before joining the Olympique Lyon youth academy in 1996.
In the 2004/05 Ligue 1 campaign, the Frenchman made his professional debut for Lyon. He gradually established himself in the Lyon first-team, and the Ligue 1 outfit would go on to win three consecutive league titles. It was in the 2007/08 campaign Benzema finally had his breakout season. He led the league scoring chart with 20 goals, scored four goals in the UEFA Champions League and six goals in the Coupe de France, as Lyon won their first-ever double.
This outstanding performance from the Frenchman caught the eyes of a plethora of clubs across Europe, including La Liga giants Real Madrid. After another season at Lyon, Benzema moved to Real Madrid in July 2009 for a transfer fee of £30million, putting pen to paper on a six-year contract.
Since Benzema’s move to Real Madrid, he has grown into one of the finest and deadliest front-man in world football. He has won three La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League, three of which were consecutively from 2016 to 2018, two Copa Del Rey and two Spanish Super Cup titles. Benzema has been named French Player of the YEAR three times for his excellent performances in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
Internationally, the 31-year-old graduated from the France International youth team and has made 80 senior appearances for the France national team. However, since 2010, he has failed to put on the famous Les Bleus shirt.
Real Madrid Salary
Karim Benzema is currently on a £274,000-per-week contract. Per month, he earns £1,096,000 at the Santiago Bernabéu. Below is a list of Benzema’s salary over the last decade.
| Year | Weekly Salary | Monthly Salary | Yearly Salary | Age | Contract Expiry |
| 2020(Current) | £274,000 | £1,096,000 | £14,248,000 | 31 | 30-06-2021 |
| 2019 | £286,000 | £1,144,000 | £14,872,000 | 30 | 30-06-2021 |
| 2018 | £284,000 | £1,136,000 | £14,768,000 | 29 | 30-06-2021 |
| 2017 | £274,000 | £1,096,000 | £14,248,000 | 28 | 29-06-2019 |
| 2016 | £227,000 | £908,000 | £11,804,000 | 27 | 29-06-2019 |
| 2015 | £236,000 | £944,000 | £12,272,000 | 26 | 29-06-2019 |
| 2014 | £172,000 | £688,000 | £8,944,000 | 25 | 29-06-2015 |
| 2010 | £163,089 | £652,358 | £8,480,654 | 21 | 29-06-2014 |
