Regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest strikers of all time, he is a creative forward known for his technical skills, vision and versatility on the field, [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] Benzema is Real Madrid 's all-time second-highest goalscorer and top assist provider. Born in Lyon to parents of Algerian descent, Benzema began his career with hometown club Lyon in , contributing sporadically to three Ligue 1 title wins.
In , he was named the league's Player of the Year and in the Team of the Year having finished as the league's top goalscorer and winning his fourth league title and first Coupe de France. After struggling to establish himself in his debut season, he eventually achieved a consistent goalscoring rate with the club, notably being part of a highly rated trio alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale β dubbed "BBC" β who were integral to four Champions League wins between and Following Ronaldo's departure in , Benzema transitioned from the false 9 position into a sole striker.
Benzema finished as Champions League top scorer as he won his fifth title in , and subsequently captained the club in his final season before signing for Al-Ittihad the following year.
He later returned to the squad for Euro , where he won the Bronze Boot. However, he did not play at the tournament due to an injury, though he did receive a medal. He announced his international retirement in December following the World Cup. Overall, Benzema earned 97 caps and scored 37 goals, ranking as France's sixth-highest all-time top goalscorer , and was named French Player of the Year by France Football four times. Benzema began his football career at his hometown club Bron Terraillon at the age of eight.
While at the club, he was nicknamed "Coco" by friends and, after scoring two goals in an under-ten match against the Lyon youth academy , began attracting attention from the biggest club in the city. Benzema quickly ascended up the youth categories in the academy. He served as a ballboy during Lyon senior team matches and performed well in school being described as a student who was "discreet and respectful". Despite only playing with the team during the autumn campaign, he scored a team-high ten goals as the Lyon reserve team finished second in its group.
