The day after France lost the 2022 World Cup final to Argentina, Karim Benzema (36) retired from the national team. It was the end of a complex relationship between the player and his national side.
The striker was suspended from the France squad between 2015 and 2021 due to a sex tape scandal involving his teammate Mathieu Valbuena (39). His eventual return to the setup was brief, a Euros and a Nations League campaign before injuries curtailed his involvement in the Qatar World Cup.
Sent home ahead of the competition, the player recovered quicker than anticipated and there was a muted belief that maybe he would be able to return. Whose fault and decision it was for Benzema to remain home is still up for debate, with Didier Deschamps and the forward assigning responsibility to the other.
What is not questioned is that the competition left an indelible mark on Benzema and the uneasy detente that had defined his return to the team was over. He would retire from international duties. However, the offer of the Olympics this summer, hosted in Paris, has tempted him into putting his name into consideration.
When asked by L’Équipe if he would like to be considered as one of the three over-aged players selected in Thierry Henry’s u23 squad, the forward replied “The Olympics? Of course, why not? It could be great!”
Karim Benzema (36) is ‘open’ to the possibility of representing France at the Olympics – the full story. (L’Éq) ⬇️ https://t.co/yHoZYsyZBA
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) March 20, 2024
‘The story is definitely over between Benzema and any French team’
His enthusiasm has not been matched by former French footballers, Emmanuel Petit and Jérôme Rothen speaking on Rothen s’enflamme. “It’s very clear, the relationship is broken with the French team.” Rothen stated, “It had been broken the first time, they fixed it, and then we saw what happened at the World Cup.”
Petit agreed, “I have the impression that the story is definitely over between Benzema and any French team. I think the general public would not understand. In my opinion, his communication around the France team has been very bad in recent years. I’d like to see (Benzema at the Olympics), but it’s not possible.”
