Karim Benzema is a devout Muslim who plays striker for Real Madrid in La Liga and for France’s national team.

Karim began his football career at the age of eight with his hometown club Bron Terraillon SC. Friends nicknamed him Coco while Karim was at the club, and after scoring two goals in an under-10 match against the Lyon youth academy, he began attracting interest from the city’s biggest club.

According to Serge Santa Cruz, president of Bron Terraillon in the 1990s, Lyon officials had personally visited Benzema in an attempt to sign the youngster; however, Santa Cruz refused.

After speaking with Karim’s father, the club agreed to let him try out for Lyon. After the trial, Lyon officially signed Karim and placed in the club’s academy.

Karim scored 38 goals in the Championnat National des 16 ans, France’s domestic league for under-16 youth players. Before the 2004–05 season, Karim was promoted to the club’s reserve team, competing in the Championnat de France amateur, France’s fourth division.

Despite only appearing in the team’s autumn campaign, Benzema scored ten goals, leading the Lyon reserve team to second place in its group.