Karim Mostafa Benzema, born 19 December 1987 in Lyon, is 38 years old, a free agent, and worth an estimated $200 million.
His last deal ended on 31 August 2026, when Al-Hilal and Benzema mutually terminated his contract. He’s one of nine children from an Algerian Muslim family in Bron, Lyon — and he grew up to become the fifth Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or. If you watched him in 2022, none of this will surprise you.
Benzema’s net worth in 2026: the numbers
Celebrity Net Worth estimates his fortune at around $200 million, the figure most outlets repeat. Forbes backs the money story: in its May 2026 highest-paid athletes list, covering May 2025 to May 2026, Benzema ranked 8th with $104 million total — $100 million on the field, $4 million in endorsements. He was also 8th in 2025 with the same $104 million total.
For context, Cristiano Ronaldo topped the 2026 list with $300 million while Lionel Messi sat 3rd with $140 million.
The Saudi millions: Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal
After 14 seasons in Madrid, Benzema joined Saudi club Al-Ittihad in June 2023. ESPN reported the deal was worth over $464 million across two years, though the exact salary breakdown was never officially disclosed. In February 2026 he moved again as a free agent, joining Al-Hilal on an 18-month contract running to June 2027.
His Al-Hilal numbers: 16 appearances, 10 goals, 5 assists. Then came 31 August 2026 — Al-Hilal and Benzema parted by mutual agreement, just one day after the club signed England striker Ollie Watkins on a contract to 2029. He’s been a free agent ever since.
The Madrid fortune: 14 years, 354 goals, Ballon d’Or
Real Madrid signed Benzema from Lyon in 2009 for around €35 million, and he stayed 14 seasons until 2023. He scored 354 goals in 648 games — second only to Cristiano Ronaldo on the club’s all-time scoring chart — and he’s also the club’s top assist provider. Those years delivered 25 trophies: 5 UEFA Champions League titles, 4 La Liga crowns and 3 Copa del Rey wins.
The peak came in 2022. Benzema won the Ballon d’Or after scoring 44 goals in 46 games in 2021-22, finishing ahead of Robert Lewandowski, Sadio Mané and Kevin De Bruyne. He was the fifth French player to win it.
How he spends it: homes and a £6M car collection
His car collection is worth around £6 million, according to SunSport and lifestyle outlets. The headline piece is a Bugatti Chiron bought in 2021 for £2.5 million (€2.4 million): one of 500 built, 1,500 horsepower, 420 km/h top speed. A Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang worth roughly €1.4 million sits alongside it — one of only five in the world.
The garage also holds a Ferrari 458 Spider, a Ferrari 488 Pista seen on his Instagram, a Rolls-Royce Wraith, a Lamborghini Urus, a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, a Mercedes G65 AMG and several Audis. He showed the whole collection on his own YouTube channel. His first car was a black Mini Cooper S, and he bought a BMW M6 on his 18th birthday after signing his first pro contract with Lyon — and Ferrari remains his favourite brand.
On homes: a mansion near Madrid with two swimming pools and a home gym; during his Saudi spell a Riyadh mansion reported at around €15 million, built for privacy with its own home gym; plus a home in the United States. For another striker’s toys and property, see our Harry Kane lifestyle piece.
Family life away from the cameras
Benzema has four children: Mélia (born 2014) and Nouri (born 2020) with Chloé de Launay; Ibrahim (born 2017) with Cora Gauthier; and a son born in April 2023 with American model Jordan Ozuna. MARCA reported his marriage to French model Cora Gauthier, while The Sun described Ozuna — an American model — as a former Las Vegas waitress.
Throughout, Benzema has kept his private life out of the spotlight. Off the pitch he models for Fendi, favours Balenciaga, turns up regularly at Paris Fashion Week, and has a long association with Adidas. He was born into an Algerian Muslim family in Bron, Lyon, one of nine children; he’s a devout Muslim, and younger brothers Gressy and Sabri are footballers too. For another lifestyle deep-dive, see our N’Golo Kanté lifestyle piece.
What next for Benzema?
At 38 and clubless, every option is reported — nothing is confirmed. L’Equipe reported on 5 September 2026 that Lyon wanted him back in Ligue 1, but a Saudi Pro League ambassadorial contract running to June 2030 blocks a return to Europe. Media links to Nottingham Forest and Bayer Leverkusen have circulated. On 2 October 2026, Rio Ferdinand urged Manchester United to sign him on his YouTube channel. Retirement has also been speculated.
From Bron to the Ballon d’Or: a €35 million signing who became Real Madrid’s second-highest scorer with 354 goals in 648 games. Three headline-grabbing years in Saudi Arabia followed, then the mutual Al-Hilal exit on 31 August 2026 — and an estimated $200 million fortune to show for it. The next chapter is unwritten, but the record is set: 44 goals in 46 games in the season he was crowned the world’s best.
