Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has announced his retirement from France duty.
On Monday, the Ballon d’Or holder tweeted to confirm his decision to walk away from the national team.
He said: “I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I’m proud of it!
“I have written my story and ours is ending.”
Benzema was released from the France squad before the World Cup kicked off due to a thigh injury. However, he played a friendly for Real against Laganes last week.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema could make a shock appearance for France in Sunday’s World Cup Final.
Rumours swirling that the Real Madrid forward is flying back out to Qatar.
The Ballon d’Or winner suffered a thigh injury in training on the eve of the World Cup and was expected to be ruled out of the whole tournament.
But France did not call-up a replacement for Benzema and he is still officially registered in their 26-man squad, so could play a role against Argentina if he has recovered, says the London Evening Standard.
Benzema has now returned to full training with Real Madrid and, according to multiple reports in Spain, could return to Qatar after France set up a final against Argentina.
France coach Didier Deschamps refused to rule out a shock return for Benzema after the 2-0 win over Morocco on Wednesday night, saying he “prefers not to answer” when asked the possibility of the 34-year-old re-joining his squad.
Shock return: Karim Benzema is now fit and is still registered with France’s World Cup squad / AP
After closing his eyes and puffing out his cheeks, Deschamps said: “I don’t really want to answer that question.” He then smiled and said: “Next question.”
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema could rejoin France’s World Cup squad this week.
RMC Sport says Benzema has practically recovered from injury and there are rumors that indicate that the Real Madrid striker could return to the Qatar 2022 World Cup with the French national team.
After leaving the concentration of the French national team in Qatar, the winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2022, has already had communication with coach Didier Deschamps to return.
France has not eliminated him from the World Cup list. The striker could return to the French national team if he is fully recovered. FIFA regulations allow it.
At the moment, Karim Benzema is in Madrid, waiting for the approval of his doctors to make another trip to Qatar for a last test with the French doctors.
Former Uruguay captain and Paris Saint-Germain defender Diego Lugano believes that Karim Benzema is not liked within the French squad.
The Real Madrid attacker had to withdraw from their World Cup squad due to an injury on the eve of the tournament.
However, Lugano believes the Real Madrid star’s exit may be a blessing in disguise for Les Bleus.
“I am certain, because I was a team-mate to some [France players] that they are very happy with the departure of Benzema,” he told ESPN.
“[That kind of reaction] would never happen in Uruguay, Brazil or Argentina.
“It depends a lot on the way the team was put together and on the care that the coach has with the player profiles, not only technical, but personality.
“It has a lot to do with that.”
France international Karim Benzema has won the 2022 Ballon d’Or award for the first time.
Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane came second behind Benzema.
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne came third and Robert Lewandowski came fourth.
The Real Madrid striker scored 44 goals in 46 games as he helped the Los Blancos win the Champions League and La Liga in 2021-22.
Lionel Messi (seven) and Cristiano Ronaldo (five) had won the award on 12 of the previous 13 occasions.
Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas retained the Women’s Ballon d’Or, awarded to the best best female footballer of 2022.
England Euro 2022 winner and Arsenal forward Beth Mead was second.
Premier League champions Manchester City, who had six nominees at the ceremony, were awarded Club of the Year ahead of Liverpool.
The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the best footballer of the year, based on performance over the 2021-22 season.
Karim Benzema, Thibaut Courtois, and Kevin De Bruyne are the top three contenders for the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award, the European ruling body said on Friday.
The winner will be announced during the 2022-23 Champions League group stage draw ceremony in Istanbul on Aug. 25.
Benzema was named Champions League Player of the Season after driving Real Madrid to a record 14th European title.
The Frenchman is running for the individual award against team-mate and keeper Thibaut Courtois.
De Bruyne has made the top three for the third season in a row. He was named as the Premier League player of the season after helping Manchester City FC to secure another domestic title
Other awards include Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Player and Coach of the Year.
Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, Manchester City’s Josep Guardiola, and Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp are the top three nominees for the men’s coach award.
Karim Benzema continued his Ballon d’Or pursuit with a 324th goal for European champions Real Madrid as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt to lift the Uefa Super Cup in Helsinki.
Ancelotti named the same XI that started the Champions League final and there was a swagger to Real’s play that comes with being crowned European champions for the 14th time – and now adding a fifth Super Cup to their trophy cabinet.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who beat Liverpool to win the Champions League in May, took the lead when David Alaba tapped into an empty net, with Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp stranded following Casemiro’s header back across goal.
Benzema doubled the Spanish giants’ lead after the break with a first-time finish from Vinicius Jr’s cross to move second on Real’s all-time goalscoring list, overtaking Raul and behind only Cristiano Ronaldo who has 450 goals.
Frankfurt, making their Super Cup debut, had moments of their own – the best when Daichi Kamada was sent through early on, but the Europa League winners looked second best once Real hit their stride.
Lionel Messi says there can be “no doubts” Karim Benzema will be a worthy Ballon d’Or winner after the Real Madrid star cemented his frontrunner status with Champions League glory.
The France international is the favourite to succeed Messi as the next recipient of the game’s most prestigious individual prize after inspiring his side to domestic and European success this term.
Benzema netted 44 goals in 46 games across all competitions this term for Carlo Ancelotti’s side and led them in Paris to victory over Liverpool on Saturday as captain.
Messi has added to his trophy cabinet with a Ligue 1 title at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in his first year away from FC Barcelona.
But he certainly feels Benzema has earned his shot at the award.
“I think there are no doubts,” Messi had said on Monday night when asked if the Frenchman would be a fitting successor as the Ballon d’Or winner.
“It is very clear that Benzema has had a spectacular year and ended up consecrating himself with the UEFA Champions League, being fundamental from the round of 16 onwards in all the games.
“I think there are no doubts this year.”
Messi also reflected on his triumph in 2021, when he defended the crown he won in 2019 against Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.
That was after the award was cancelled for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Lewandowski would have been many people’s favourite in 2020 and went on to break Gerd Muller’s long-standing record of 40 Bundesliga goals in a single season the following year.
Yet he was forced to make do with second behind Messi after he helped Argentina to their first Copa America success in 28 years.
Messi acknowledged Lewandowski would have been a worthy winner in 2020, but on reflection feels he deserved the 2021 triumph he was awarded.
“What I said at that moment was from my heart and because I really felt that way,” Messi said, alluding to his comments at the 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony.
“I said that he deserved the Ballon d’Or before, because the year before it had seemed to me that he had been the best.
“But the year that I won, he wasn’t the best. I just said that. But let him take it as he wants. Everyone says what they want and obviously he can express himself and say what he wants.
“Honestly, I don’t share what he said, but I didn’t give it much importance either. That’s it, he can say what he wants, I’m not interested.”(
Karim Benzema insists his relationship with PSG striker Kylian Mbappe is intact despite not joining him at Real Madrid.
Benzema, who a few days prior to the Champions League final did not want to talk about the issue, insists that their relationship isn’t affected by the youngster’s choice.
“I would have liked him to have been able to fulfil his dream of playing for Real Madrid, being together,” Benzema told Telefoot.
“He chose PSG, we must respect him. It’s his choice, he has a lot of responsibilities.
“We will enjoy playing together in the national team. Everyone makes their own choices.”
There was much speculation that Benzema was upset by Mbappe’s renewal with PSG after some cryptic messages he posted on social media.
However, Benzema has no doubt that the friendship will remain strong between the two.
“Real Madrid are Real Madrid, I’m not disappointed. We are good friends, it won’t affect our relationship,” he added.
Real Madrid legend Guti hailed Los Blancos striker, Karim Benzema for his performance in the Champions League semifinal win against Manchester City.
Real won in extra-time after pulling back City late in the game.
Guti told TMW: “Spirit of sacrifice, heart, enthusiasm and football: these were the keys to Real Madrid’s victory against Manchester City. In football anything can happen, nothing is impossible.”
On Karim Benzema, he continued: “In his feet there is an incredible talent, but I did not expect this performance as a goal scorer. He is giving a lot to a Real who, after the farewell of Cristiano Ronaldo, needed goals. Benzema represents football at its most pure.
“In these last four weeks Real will play to win, as always. The players are professionals, they live and are paid to play football. They know that the prestige of their club is always at stake and I am therefore convinced that they will give everything without calculating, despite having already celebrated LaLiga.”