Holders France rocked as injury rules Benzema out of World Cup, Late on Saturday, Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema’s injury to his left thigh ended his chances of helping France successfully defend its World Cup title. The 34-year-old Real Madrid striker had not played for more than 30 minutes in any of his team’s previous six matches before the World Cup due to a long-standing injury.
Holders France rocked as injury rules Benzema out of World Cup
For the first time since the World Cup holders assembled last week in preparation for the competition, he participated in full training on Saturday. With the injury, he was compelled to leave the session at Qatari champions Al Sadd’s home field and was taken for examinations. It was later revealed by the French Football Federation (FFF) that the injury “will require a recovery period of three weeks,” eliminating any chance of him being fully recovered for the tournament, which ends on December 18.
“I am extremely sad for Karim, for whom this World Cup was a major objective,” France coach Didier Deschamps was quoted as saying in the FFF statement. “Despite this new blow for the France team I have full faith in my squad. We will do all we can to rise to the huge challenge that awaits us.” The 36-year-old Olivier Giroud is set to benefit from Benzema’s absence by coming into the France attack alongside Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
However, under FIFA rules Deschamps can still call up a replacement for an injured player until Monday, on the eve of their first game. France begin their defence of the trophy on Tuesday, when they take on Australia in Al Wakrah. They will also play Denmark and Tunisia in Group D as they aim to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup.
– Pogba, Kante, Nkunku are already out –
Deschamps has already experienced fitness issues leading up to the competition, so the loss of Benzema is a significant blow. Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, France’s starting midfield tandem from their victorious 2018 World Cup campaign, were both ruled out due to injury before Deschamps named his squad, hence they are not present in Qatar. Prior to RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku being forced to withdraw due to a knee injury sustained in France’s penultimate training session before leaving for Qatar, backup goalkeeper Mike Maignan and center back Presnel Kimpembe also withdrew.
Randal Kolo Muani of Eintracht Frankfurt took Nkunku’s position on the team. Raphael Varane, a defender for Manchester United, has also been battling to show he is healthy after leaving a game against Chelsea on October 22 in tears due to a leg injury. Next month, Benzema will be 35, and he had set his sights on the World Cup to finish off an incredible career comeback.
He won the Ballon d’Or after helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga last season with 44 goals in 46 games. Due to his involvement in a blackmail scandal involving a sex tape featuring his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena, Benzema had previously been barred from the France team for five and a half years.
He missed France’s successful World Cup campaign in 2018 as a result, and he was also given a one-year suspended prison sentence and a 75,000 euro fine. Following his Ballon d’Or victory, he said: “There are still tasks that need to be completed. I hope to make the Qatari World Cup team, travel there, and give it my all.”