French star Karim Benzema stole the spotlight in the French capital, Paris, after playing an exhibition match in the game EA SPORTS FC 26 as part of the 2026 Esports World Cup.
Benzema appeared on stage alongside Bruce Granic, the former world champion in eSports, to face off against renowned French content creator Mohamed Amine Mahmoud, known as AmineMaTue, who played alongside EA FC's French player, Brac.
The Al-Hilal Saudi striker did not just participate symbolically, but showed a high competitive spirit, and led his team to a sweeping 4-0 victory, amid great interaction from the fans present in Paris.
The exhibition match was part of the closing day activities of the FC Pro World Championship, and before the final match of the tournament, which saw Romanian RvPLegend crowned champion after his exciting 6-5 victory over Levyfinn.
Benzema’s success was not limited to the virtual playing field, as the exhibition match achieved a peak viewership of over 78,000 followers, approaching double the number achieved by the match between Kaka and Brazilian Ronaldo in last year’s edition.
With this participation, Benzema joins the list of football stars who have appeared in the Esports World Cup events, alongside prominent names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Kaka and the Brazilian Ronaldo.
Aside from the result, Benzema's appearance in the tournament provided a remarkable spectacle combining the world of traditional football and esports, confirming the growing popularity of this type of event and its ability to attract audiences that go beyond just esports fans.
