Christian Karembeu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Christian Karembeu

Karembeu in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Christian Lali Kake Karembeu
Date of birth	(1970-12-03) 3 December 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth	Lifou, New Caledonia
Height	1.78 m
Playing position	Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current club	Olympiacos (sports director)
Youth career
	Gaïtcha
1988–1990	Nantes
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1990–1995	Nantes	130	(5)
1995–1997	Sampdoria	62	(6)
1997–2000	Real Madrid	51	(1)
2000–2001	Middlesbrough	33	(4)
2001–2004	Olympiacos	68	(3)
2004–2005	Servette	23	(2)
2005–2006	Bastia	7	(0)
Total		395	(18)
National team
1992–2002	France	53	(1)
Honours Men's football Representing  France FIFA World Cup Winner 1998 France UEFA European Championship Winner 2000 Belgium–Netherlands FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2001 Korea/Japan
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Christian Karembeu is a famous French former football player. He was born on December 3, 1970. He played as a defensive midfielder, which means he helped protect his team's goal. Today, he works as the sports director for the Greek football club Olympiacos.

Karembeu played for many big clubs like Nantes, Sampdoria, and Real Madrid. He was also a very important player for the French national team. He helped France win the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2000 championship.

Early Life and Start in Football

Christian Karembeu was born in Lifou, which is an island in New Caledonia. New Caledonia is a French territory far away in the Pacific Ocean. He started playing youth football for a team called Gaïtcha FCN in Nouméa.

When he was 17, Christian moved to France. He received a special scholarship to study and play football there. He joined the youth team of FC Nantes and became a professional player with them in 1990.

Club Career Highlights

Christian Karembeu played for several well-known football clubs during his career. He started with Nantes from 1990 to 1995. After that, he moved to Italy to play for Sampdoria from 1995 to 1997.

One of his most successful periods was with Real Madrid in Spain. He played there from 1997 to 2000. With Real Madrid, he won the UEFA Champions League twice! He was a starter in the 1998 final, which was a huge achievement.

Later, he played for Middlesbrough in England (2000–2001) and Olympiacos in Greece (2001–2004). He also played for Servette in Switzerland and Bastia in France before retiring in 2006.

Playing for France

Since Christian Karembeu was born in New Caledonia, a French territory, he was able to play for the French national team. He played in 53 international matches for France. His first game was in 1992 against Finland.

He was a key player in the French team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup. This was a massive victory for France, and Karembeu played in four matches, including the final. He was also part of the French team that won the UEFA Euro 2000 championship, showing his importance to the squad.

How He Played

Christian Karembeu was known as a "complete midfielder." This means he was good at many things on the field. He was strong and had a lot of energy. He was also good at passing the ball and dribbling. He was known for his tough tackling, which helped his team win the ball back.

He usually played in a "holding role" in the midfield. This meant he stayed back to protect the defense. But he could also play in other positions, like a "box-to-box" midfielder, running all over the field, or even as a right-sided defender.

Life After Football

After retiring from playing, Christian Karembeu stayed involved in football. In 2006, he became a scout for the English club Portsmouth. A scout's job is to find new talented players. He also worked for Arsenal's scouting network later on.

In 2013, he took on an important role at the Greek club Olympiacos. He became an administrative director, helping to manage the club.

Working for Peace

Christian Karembeu is part of a special group called 'Champions for Peace'. This group includes 54 famous athletes who use sport to help bring peace to the world. They work with an organization called Peace and Sport.

He has shown his dedication to this cause. For example, in 2010, he visited Haiti after a big earthquake. He worked to show how sport could help rebuild the country and support young people there.

Personal Life

Christian Karembeu's family history is quite unique. His great-grandfather was one of about a hundred Kanaks from New Caledonia who were taken to Paris in 1931. They were put on display at an exhibition as "cannibals." This was a very unfair and sad event. Because of this history, Karembeu chooses not to sing France's national anthem, La Marseillaise.

He was previously married to Slovak model Adriana Sklenařiková. They divorced in 2012. In 2017, he married Jackie Chamoun, a skier from Lebanon. They welcomed their daughter later that year.

For his achievements, especially winning the 1998 World Cup, Christian Karembeu was honored as a Knight of the Legion of Honour in France.

On Television

Christian Karembeu has also appeared on television. He hosted a French TV series called "Des Îles et des Hommes" (Of Islands and Men). In this travel show, he visited some of the most beautiful islands around the world. He also worked as a football commentator for ITV during the Euro 2016 tournament.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Honours

Nantes

• Division 1: 1994–95
• Coupe de France runner-up: 1992–93

Real Madrid

• UEFA Champions League: 1997–98, 1999–2000

Olympiacos

• Alpha Ethniki: 2001–02, 2002–03
• Greek Cup runner-up: 2001–02, 2003–04

France

• FIFA World Cup: 1998
• UEFA European Championship: 2000
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001

Individual

• Oceania Footballer of the Year: 1995, 1998
• UNFP 20 Year Special Team Trophy: 2011
• Olympiacos Golden Eleven

Orders

• Knight of the Legion of Honour: 1998

See also

In Spanish: Christian Karembeu para niños