Christian Benteke Liolo, born on December 3, 1990, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a professional footballer renowned for his physicality and goal-scoring prowess as a striker.
At 34 years old and standing at 1.90 meters tall, Benteke holds dual Belgian and Congolese citizenship, reflecting his family’s tumultuous journey from Congo to Belgium.
His family fled the oppressive Mobutu regime when he was just three years old, seeking asylum in Liège, Belgium, where Benteke was raised and developed his passion for football on the city’s streets.
A devout Christian and an avid Arsenal supporter, Benteke has built a reputation as “The Beast” for his powerful presence on the pitch.
Currently, he plays for Major League Soccer club D.C. United, where he continues to showcase his aerial ability and clinical finishing.
Siblings
Christian grew up in a close-knit family shaped by resilience and migration, with his parents, Jean-Pierre and Marie-Claire Benteke, instilling values of hard work and education.
Among his siblings, Benteke shares a particularly strong bond with his younger brother, Jonathan Benteke, born two years after the family settled in Belgium in 1993.
Jonathan, also a professional footballer, followed in his brother’s footsteps, playing as a forward for clubs including Zulte Waregem, Crystal Palace’s development squad, where he made a brief Premier League appearance substituting for Christian in 2016, and later Omonia Nicosia and German lower-division side Wegberg-Beeck.
Jonathan briefly joined D.C. United’s USL affiliate, Loudoun United, in 2022, providing familial support during Christian’s transition to Major League Soccer.
Benteke also has a sister named Sara, though she maintains a lower public profile compared to her footballing brothers.
Career
Benteke’s football journey began humbly at age six with local youth club JS Pierreuse in Liège, progressing to Standard Liège’s academy before a stint at Genk, where he made his professional debut in 2009.
Returning to Standard Liège that January, he contributed three goals in 12 appearances to help secure the 2008–09 Belgian First Division title, marking his first taste of silverware.
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A loan to KV Mechelen followed, yielding seven goals in 25 games, before he rejoined Genk in 2011 for €1 million, exploding with 19 goals in 37 appearances that propelled the club to the Belgian Pro League title in 2010–11.
This form caught the eye of English clubs, leading to his £7 million transfer to Aston Villa in 2012.
He announced his arrival with a debut goal in a 2-0 win over Swansea City and netted 33 goals in 52 Premier League games over two seasons, including a memorable brace in a 6–1 thrashing of Sunderland.
In 2015, Liverpool signed him for a club-record £32.5 million, but his tenure was underwhelming with 10 goals in 42 league outings, prompting a £27 million move to Crystal Palace in 2016.
There, Benteke rediscovered his scoring touch, tallying 17 goals in 2016–17 and becoming a fan favorite with acrobatic finishes, though injuries hampered later years.
After extending his contract multiple times, he departed for D.C. United in 2022 on a free transfer as a Designated Player.
In Major League Soccer, Benteke has thrived, scoring prolifically and adapting seamlessly to the league’s physical demands.
Internationally, since debuting for Belgium in 2010, he has earned over 50 caps, featuring in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022) and Euro 2016 and 2020, often as a super-sub for the Red Devils.
Accolades
At the club level, Benteke was instrumental in Standard Liège’s 2008–09 Belgian First Division triumph and Genk’s 2010–11 Belgian Pro League title, scoring crucial goals in both campaigns.
His breakout 2012–13 season at Aston Villa earned him a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year, where he finished as runner-up to Gareth Bale after a stellar debut year.
With Liverpool, despite challenges, he contributed to the club’s pursuit of top honors, though his individual shine came brighter at Crystal Palace, where he was shortlisted for the EA SPORTS Premier League Player of the Month in May 2021 for his consistent goal threat.
Benteke’s move to D.C. United in 2022 ushered in a golden era in Major League Soccer, culminating in the 2024 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi for his league-leading 23 goals in 30 matches, the first Belgian to win the award and a club record for most goals in a single season across all competitions.
That same year, he was selected to the 2024 MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire and named a finalist for the prestigious Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award, recognizing his transformative influence on the Black-and-Red.
As a two-time MLS All-Star, Benteke’s international accolades include participation in Belgium’s golden generation runs to the 2018 World Cup semifinals and third place in 2014.
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