Karim Benzema Retires from International Football Following World Cup Defeat
France and Real Madrid star player Karim Benzema announced retirement from international football this Monday, right after a heart-breaking defeat of his national team, France, in the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar against Messi’s Argentina.
Karim Benzema retires on his birthday
Surprisingly, it also happens to be the 35th birthday. And the emotional announcement via Twitter post right after their defeat from Argentina on penalties makes it even more pitiful than his pitiful national team career.
“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,” he wrote.
This year, he had a dream-like run on the club side with the Spanish giants, Real Madrid, where he played a key role in the Los Blancos’ UCL and La Liga glorious runs. He achieved the highest possible individual trophy a footballer could, owing to his great run, the Ballon d’Or.
He became the first ever reigning Ballon d’Or champion to be completely out of the FIFA World Cup of the respective year in history.
This was due to an injury he picked up right before the tournament, ruling him out.
Benzema refused to be in Qatar
However, he was the only injured player to not be replaced by Deschamps in the France squad for Qatar, but that did not stop the Frenchman from declining his manager’s offer to fly to Qatar for just a final. In fact, he also declined French President Macron’s offer of flying the injured players to watch the tournament’s grand finale in Qatar.
Instead, the 35-year-old was seen training in the Real Madrid grounds even after recovering for France’s finals. He has played a total of 97 career games for his national team after making his debut back in 2007, in which he scored 37 goals and contributed 20 assists.
His controversy-entangled international career has been a little short-lived and embroiled in hot waters. He was kicked out of the national team for five long years after being found to be part of a blackmail sex tape scandal that had jolted the French football scene.
