Karim Bellarabi


Karim Bellarabi is a German professional footballer who plays for Bayer Leverkusen as a winger.

Early and personal life

Bellarabi was born in West Berlin, to a Moroccan father and a German mother.

Club career

He grew up in Bremen, where he played youth football for local clubs FC Huchting, Werder Bremen and FC Oberneuland. In 2008, Bellarabi joined the under-19 side of Eintracht Braunschweig. He made his senior debut for them during the 2008–09 season, followed by two more appearances during the 2009–10 league campaign. He finally became a regular starter during the 2010–11 3. Liga season and attracted notice due to his performance.
After the season, he left Braunschweig for Bundesliga side Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Due to injury, Bellarabi missed most of the 2012–13 Bundesliga season. In 2013, he returned from Leverkusen to Eintracht Braunschweig, by now playing in the Bundesliga as well, on a one-year loan deal.
Bellarabi returned to Leverkusen at the start of the 2014–15 season. On 23 August 2014, he scored the fastest goal in Bundesliga history, just in 9 seconds, on the opening match of the 2014–15 season, away to Borussia Dortmund, he led the way to a 0–2 win.
On 17 February 2017 Bellarabi scored the 50,000th goal in Bundesliga history.
In July 2018 he collapsed in a pre-season friendly.

International career

Bellarabi has played youth international football for the German under-20 and under-21 teams. He was called up by the senior team in October 2014.
He made his senior international debut for Germany on 11 October 2014 in a 2–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying defeat away to Poland, playing the full 90 minutes. On 13 June 2015, Bellarabi scored his first international goal in a 7–0 win against Gibraltar.

Career statistics

Club

International goals

GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.13 June 2015Estádio Algarve, Algarve, Portugal4–07–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualification