"Playing retirement soccer and sliding into teen influencer's DMs"— Internet reacts as Lil Tay claims Karim Benzema is in her DMs

American-Canadian internet personality and musician Lil Tay recently claimed that French professional footballer Karim Benzema was in her DMs. She made this claim during RaKai’s Twitch livestream on April 6, 2025.

When RaKai questioned her and asked to see her phone, Lil Tay alleged that she “didn’t answer.” The live streamer continued to accuse her of “lying,” but the 17-year-old Tay maintained that Benzema reached out to her via texts.

In light of the now-viral claim, netizens are having diverse reactions. An X user @iamscruff commented on Feared Buck’s post sharing the Twitch clip.

“Bro's out here playing retirement league soccer and sliding into teen influencers' DMs… embarrassing,” a user wrote.

Many people joined the conversation and shared similar reactions on the platform—

“Benzema's trying to get that Gen Z clout, huh?” a person asked.

“Karim Benzema doing what?!?!?!? Nah someone gotta look into this…” one person wrote.

“Cancel that dude rn,” wrote another.

Meanwhile, others doubted Lil Tay’s claims and defended Karim Benzema—

“Same girl who lied about having a life-threatening heart condition to promote her song on TikTok, she’s a pathological liar,” a netizen wrote.

“Yo on the real tho she gotta clarify or verify that because she dead**s f**king with a man's life and livelihood if not,” another netizen wrote.

“She lying omg my goat would never,” an individual wrote.

“So, she just gonna put that out there and give no proof??” asked another.

Karim Benzema has not addressed the claim as of this writing.

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Lil Tay has previously been involved in a death hoax controversy

In August 2023, a rumor spread online that Lil Tay and her half-brother Jason had succumbed to a “sudden and tragic passing.” This claim was posted on her Instagram.

However, within 24 hours, Tay herself dismissed the rumor, telling TMZ that she and her brother were “safe and alive” and she wanted to “make it clear.” She also expressed that she was "completely heartbroken” and struggling to “find the right words” in the aftermath of the death hoax.

“It's been a very traumatizing 24 hours. My Instagram account was compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope,’” she added.

Later, she accused her father, Christopher Hope, and her former manager, Harry Tsang, of hacking her social media and faking her death.

A year later, in September 2024, an update was posted on Lil Tay’s X account, announcing "devastating news” concerning her. A few hours later, another post appeared that read:

“Tay is currently in the ICU in serious condition.”

An image of a hospital hallway accompanied the caption. Later, a follow-up post claimed that “Tay has been diagnosed with a life-threatening heart tumor” and requested everyone’s “love and prayers.”

The final post explained that “last time, it was her absentee father who hacked into her accounts and faked her deaths,” but “this time, she is in the ICU.” This was a response to a community note dismissing her health updates.

One of these posts also included a video of an echocardiogram screen and a doctor speaking about it. The same clip was posted on her Instagram. The following weekend, her X account shared another update stating that Lil Tay was undergoing "major open-heart surgery to remove her heart tumor."

Following the purported surgery, a clip of Tay seemingly asleep in a hospital bed was uploaded alongside the announcement that her family was “overjoyed” to share that her surgery was a “great success.” It also mentioned that Lil Tay was “off to a great start on the road to recovery.” The post further expressed gratitude to the team of doctors and other medical staff who helped in her alleged treatment.

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Lil Tay was born Claire Eileen Qi Hope and later changed her name to Tay Tian. Her parents are Christopher Hope and Angela Tian. She has a half-brother named Jason on her mother’s side.

The Vancouver native rose to fame online in 2018, when videos of her wearing Gucci belts, driving a mini Rolls-Royce, and collaborating with influencers such as Bhad Bhabie, Diplo, Jake Paul, and Woah Vicky went viral.

Tay has previously accused her father of mental and emotional abuse and was involved in a lengthy custody battle between her parents. She is known for her September 2023 rap song, Sucker 4 Green.