Face of the Future: Karim Benzema

2008 UPDATE to this post: If you’ve clicked on this post looking for info in Karim Benzema as he heads into Euros, we recommend that you check out this link to our Karim Benzema Euro Player profile. Also be sure to stop by our Euro 2008 main page, our Lyon page, and the France homepage for this site.

Well, since one of our eighteen-year-olds is having commitment issues, let me introduce you to the other one, the steadfast one, the one who will be true to Les Bleus: Lyon striker Karim Benzema. (He and Gonzalo Higuain were born just seven days apart. Do you think Domenech’s astrologer gave him a two-fer?)

It looks like Karim picked up an injury playing for Lyon this weekend and probably won’t play on Wednesday (let me research this and get back to you) but an eighteen-year-old who is this good is going to have a lot more opportunities.

Up to the injury, Karim had been looking really good for Lyon and was using the opportunity provided by Brazilian Fred’s injury to show his stuff. Benzema managed to score the only (which means — guess what? — game-winning) goal in the Champions League game against Dynamo Kiev on Nov. 1. That makes two, yes, two Champions League goals for a young man who probably hasn’t been shaving for more than a couple of years. Are we excited yet?

I’m thinking that since Les Blues just lost a Frenchman of Algerian descent, how about another? What do you think? He’s even been given the #10 jersey. (Which, I have to say, kind of weirds me out a little. But hey, if it’s good for Les Bleus, I can adapt.) Now he just needs an adorable nickname like “Zizou.” (And maybe some other mentor who can teach him about anger management.
Check out Karim in action: