Karim Benzema’s injury
Karim Benzema’s chances of playing for France at the World Cup in Qatar were dashed when he picked up a significant thigh injury in training ahead of the competition.
The current Ballon d’Or winner and Real Madrid forward picked up a thigh injury while working out with Les Bleus on Saturday night, keeping him out of the competition.
Benzema’s World Cup hopes were dashed when a rupture in his left thigh was exacerbated by an existing hamstring problem. The 34-year-old kept at it, but his worst fears were confirmed after he was sent for an MRI at Aspetar Hospital in Doha.
Upon hearing the news, Benzema broke his silence saying, “In my life I have never given up, but tonight I have to think about the team as I always do, hence reason telling me to leave my place to someone who can help.” we. the group created a beautiful World Cup.” We appreciate the outpouring of love and encouragement.
A French tweet read, “Karim Benzema has been forced to withdraw from the World Cup after suffering a quadriceps injury. As a group, we feel Karim’s loss and hope for a rapid recovery for him.
I am terribly unhappy for Karim who made this World Cup a huge objective,” Didier Deschamps said. I still have faith in my team, despite this latest setback. We will make every effort to rise to the enormous challenge that lies ahead.
Following discussions with the French coaching staff, Benzema decided to drop out of the World Cup squad, giving Deschamps till Monday to name a substitute before France faces Australia on Tuesday.
Several French players, notably Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, Mike Maignan, and Christopher Nkunku, have been sidelined by injury.
It’s an especially harsh blow for Benzema, who was just last month named Ballon d’Or winner for his outstanding play for club and country in 2022. Benzema was banned from the team after it was revealed that he had blackmailed former teammate Mathieu Valbuena, meaning he was unable to play for France at the previous World Cup.
Since Deschamps gave him a second chance and invited him back into the national team, Benzema has been a terrific offensive complement to Kylian Mbappe.
Even though Mbappe is still France’s best player, Benzema’s absence will be felt greatly. The Madrid ace scored both goals in France’s 2-1 Nations League final victory over Spain in October of last year, earning him the match’s Man of the Match award.
There is no one who can take Benzema’s place on the team, but Martin Terrier and Wissam Ben Yedder are in consideration for the role.
With Benzema’s muscle issues in the lead-up to the tournament, France expected the worst, but they gave him every chance to show himself since he is a “unique case,” as his teammate Adrien Rabiot put it.
While speaking to TF1 earlier this month, Deschamps said, “He [Benzema] realizes that the World Cup is a very crucial occasion for him. Like the rest of the gang, he will make every effort to be prepared on November 22. Over time, Benzema’s overuse of his body has led to a series of minor ailments. On the other hand, he is aware of how significant the World Cup is.
Benzema has played in 12 games for Real Madrid this season. However, he missed a number of games before the World Cup due to injury.