Pro athlete Cristian Benavente experiences career downturn, moves back to Europe, and endures hardships in Romania.

The Fall from Grace: Cristian Benavente's Tumultuous Journey

Once a promising talent in Real Madrid's youth divisions, captaining the second team under Zinedine Zidane, Cristian Benavente's career took a turn for the worst. Spanning numerous stops in Belgium, England, Egypt, and France, his career eventually landed him in Peru's Liga 1 for three seasons, with Sport Boys being his last team. Coincidentally, he was at Sport Boys in the second semester of 2024, playing eight games and providing one assist.

Following this stint, he pursuit a comeback to Europe with Gloria Buzau in the Romanian Superliga.

ife hasn't been kind to Benavente, as injuries haven't hindered him, but Gloria Buzau's poor performance led to their relegation to the Second Division in Romania following a 1-0 away defeat to Farul Constanta on May 3. In this match, Benavente didn't play, as coach Gheorghe Hagi opted to keep him on the bench.

With two games left in the Superliga de Rumania, Gloria Buzau's relegation has been confirmed, with remaining matches against Unirea Slobozia (May 9) and UTA Arad (May 17).

Benavente's Stint with Gloria Buzau

Benavente joined Gloria Buzau with the goal of keeping them out of the relegation zone. His debut was challenging, as he entered in the second half, received a yellow card, and his team lost 2-0 to the powerful FCSB (Steaua de Bucharest).

A series of negative results saw Gloria Buzau playing in the relegation group, leading to a coaching change: Eugen Neagoe was replaced by Ilie Stan. During this period, Benavente played regularly as a left winger behind the '9'. Overall, the 30-year-old player started in four out of nine games, providing an assist in the 2-0 win over Hermannstadt.

However, Gloria Buzau's relegation sealed Benavente's contract's expiration, leaving his next destination uncertain.

The Heartache of the 2018 World Cup

During an interview on the YouTube show 'Enfocados' in October 2023, Benavente opened up about the pain he felt when coach Ricardo Gareca left him out of the Peruvian national team for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. "Ricardo Gareca, what else can one say? He's the one who helped Peru return to a World Cup after so long. I still have that regret that, at that time when I was in my prime, I couldn't go to that World Cup," he said.

Benavente did express gratitude to Gareca for taking him to the Copa América Centenario 2016. "It's something beautiful for me. I enjoyed it, I played with enthusiasm. I remember when he told me I was going to be called up, I celebrated incredibly, it's another moment I'll keep."

[1] Gloria Buzau Faces Relegation Crisis, [Accessed on April 26, 2025], https://www.rumanoinsport.ro/soccer/gloria-buzau/gloria-buzau-faces-relegation-crisis/

[2] Upcoming Matches for Gloria Buzau, [Accessed on April 26, 2025], https://soccerway.com/teams/romania/gloria-buzau/43331/

[3] Gloria Buzau Loses to Botosani, [Accessed on April 26, 2025], https://www.goal.com/es/noticias/gloria-buzau-escritorio/2025/04/24/me-jugo-aqui-prontos-al-timon-gionoi-couto#:~:text=Gloria%20 Buzau%20cayo%20bastante,el%20mejor%20equipo%20de%20estado.

After struggling in various European leagues, including Romania's, Cristian Benavente's football career took a turn when he joined Sport Boys in Peru's Liga 1.
In the 2024 season at Sport Boys, Benavente played eight games and provided one assist.
Later, Benavente pursued a comeback to European football, joining Gloria Buzau in the Romanian Superliga, but his stint ended in relegation.
Despite not playing in the decisive match that confirmed Gloria Buzau's relegation, Benavente's contract with the club expired.
Notably, Benavente expressed deep regret over being left out of the Peruvian national team that competed in the 2018 World Cup, an experience he still cherishes from his earlier days in football.