Christian was born in Quito, Ecuador on May 1st, 1986. As a boy, he grew up watching his father play as a professional soccer player. And like father like son, Christian followed his dad’s steps by playing the same sport and the same position, forward. He became a professional soccer player as well. In 2004, at 18 years of age, he debuted in his country with “El Nacional” (The National). Scoring 29 goals in 84 games, Benitez was a young, new and interesting player to watch.
Benitez got the chance to represent Ecuador in the Fifa World Cup in 2006 held in Germany. It didn’t probably go as planned though. He was a young new upcoming player, but did not receive many minutes in the field. With Ecuador out of the cup in the groups, their hopes of going on were over.
Christian would say goodbye to “El Nacional” in 2007 when he transferred to Mexican soccer team “Santos” (Saints). With 31 goals in 95 games, his reputation in Mexico was at one of the best strikers in the league.
In 2009, he would move from Mexico to Birmingham, England to play with “Birmingham FC”. The weather, language, injuries and adaptation would be a problem for him. Only scoring 3 goals in 30 games, it would be his worst season ever with a team. So he would return with “Santos” for the next season. And again, he would be the same player he once was. This would also be the year when he would become a dad for the first time. Christian had become the father of 2 twin babies.
For the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Ecuador did not qualify. Leaving Benitez and many other great Ecuadorian players out of it.
In 2012, due to the extraordinary campaign he had with his previous team, he would be purchased by the richest soccer team in all North and South America, ”America FC”. With 10 million dollars on the table, Benitez was now owned by America FC.
In America, Benitez had with no doubt his best campaign ever. Scoring 52 goals in 79 games, Christian had become the leading scorer of the league 3 times in a row. A record that he still maintains. And taking his team to win the summer 2013 championship as well.
On summer 2013, Benitez would try to get another chance to make it big on the other side of the world. Being sold at almost 17 million dollars, he would be transferred to El Jaish from Qatar. He made his debut on a friendly game.
On June 29, 2013, Christian Benitez started feeling a “strong pain” in his abdomen. He was taken to the nearest hospital. Where unfortunately, at age 27, Benitez would die of respiratory failure. On June 29, the soccer world lost one of its best.
In his funeral, tens of thousands of people went to visit his body in Quito, Ecuador. People from all of the teams he was in prayed in honor of him. In the Ecuadorian national team, the people came to an agreement to extract the jersey number 11 from the squad. The jersey number that Benitez always used. Wherever you are, you will be missed my friend.

Christian Benitez (RIP)
1986 - 2013