Karim Benzema, the 34-year-old French footballer and Real Madrid captain will not be participating in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after tearing a muscle in his left thigh.
GoldenNewsNg reports that the French Football Federation said the Ballon d’Or winner, suffered an injury in training earlier on Saturday, November 19, and would require a three-week recovery period.
Coach Didier Deschamps in a statement;
“I am extremely sad for Karim who had made this World Cup a major objective. Despite this new blow for the French team, I have full confidence in my group. We will do everything to meet the huge challenge that awaits us.”
The French football federation (FFF) said;
“Karim Benzema is out of the World Cup.
”After hurting the quadriceps on his left thigh the Real Madrid striker is forced to give up on taking part in the World Cup.
“He went for an MRI scan in a hospital (clinic) in Doha, which unfortunately confirmed a tear.”
Even without Benzema, France still has a strong attack to face Australia in their first World Cup match.
They are likely to start with Olivier Giroud as the central striker, flanked by 2018 World Cup star Kylian Mbappe and either Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele or veteran Antoine Griezmann.
