Tuesday evening, Didier Deschamps announced the summons of Karim Benzema among the 26 players called to play the Euro.

"The France team does not belong to me, it is above everything," he explained, while the Real Madrid striker has not been summoned for more than five years. 

This is the end of a long sidelining. Tuesday evening, Didier Deschamps announced the summons of Karim Benzema among the 26 players called to play the Euro (June 11-July 11). Although ventilated by several media during the day, this decision remains a huge surprise, the Real Madrid striker being absent from the selection since 2015 and his indictment in the case of the sextape, and his relations with the coach being so far strained. A choice that the coach took the time to justify, citing "the good of the France team". 

Suspected of having participated in a blackmail attempt targeting his former teammate with the Blues, Mathieu Valbuena, the player trained in Lyon had been sidelined before Euro 2016, Didier Deschamps and the president of the French Football Federation Noël Le Graët then justifying their decision by "setting an example and preserving the group".

Benzema then accused his coach, with whom he had played the 2014 World Cup, of having "yielded under the pressure of a racist part of France".

A media release very badly experienced by Didier Deschamps. 

A choice "for the good of the France team"

But the coach of the Blues is known as well for his talent as a coach as for his unfailing pragmatism. However, at 33 years old, Benzema realizes quite simply one of his best seasons in career with the Madrid club (29 goals in 45 matches). "To arrive at this decision, there were steps. We saw each other, we discussed at length," said the coach. "I do not want to make special cases. I have always ignored my personal case, the France team does not belong to me, it is above everything," he added.

After the meeting with the striker, Deschamps said he "had a long reflection to come to this decision. I will not reveal a word to you about this discussion but he needed it, too", he continued , indicating to aspire to "have the most peaceful atmosphere possible" within the group.

"The France team is supposed to be better with Karim Benzema", further developed the technician, specifying making this choice "for the good of the France team".

Benzema has 81 caps for 27 goals

After a long wait, Karim Benzema will therefore be able to resume the course of his history with the Blues, and will be eagerly awaited in a competition where the France team was not spoiled by the draw, falling in the same group. than Germany and Portugal. The former Lyon has 81 caps and 27 goals with the Blues.