Things seem to be heating up between Rihanna and European soccer star Karim Benzema
Just weeks after the duo was first spotted in NYC for a late night dinner at Cuban restaurant Coppelia, the alleged couple had an awkward run-in with Rihanna's ex-boyfriend, Chris Brown, at a L.A. hotspot last weekend.
With reports suggesting that the rumored duo have been dating for several weeks now, fans wonder: who is Rihanna's rumored boyfriend? Here are five things to know about Karim Benzema:
5. He's an international soccer star.
Benzema was born in Lyon, France where he began playing for the Lyon soccer club just shy of his 17th birthday, People reports. After earning several awards with Lyon, Benzema then signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid in 2009 worth $50 million that led him to represent France in the 2014 World Cup. Rihanna actually gave Benzema a shout out via Twitter during last year's games.
4. He has some famous fans.
While Benzema has won over soccer fan Rihanna, the super star athlete has another celebrity fan: Rihanna's ex-boyfriend, Drake. The rapper took a photo with Benzema during a party in NYC last week, captioning the shot, "My secret weapon in FIFA live in the flesh!!!! Benzyyyyyyy!!!"
3. He was cleared of underage prostitution charges.
Benzema and French teammate Franck Ribery were accused of having sex with an underaged female and paying her in 2009, resulting in a high-profile trial that ultimately resulted in Benzema being cleared of the charges in January 2014, Heavy reports.
2. He's a philanthropist.
Benzema was honored last month for his work with the Partage 9 charity, which focuses on helping children in need. Benzema most recently visited with students from his former elementary school, Bron, via the charity and was honored by European soccer organization the UNFP for his work.
1. He has a 16 month old daughter.
Benzema and ex Chloe De Launay welcomed their first child, Melia, in February 2014. While Benzmea tends to keep his private life private, the dad can't help but gush over his little girl on social media.
This article was originally published on Fashion & Style.