World Cup 2022: France loses Karim Benzema, package for the tournament

Injured in a thigh, Karim Benzema, will not play the 2022 World Cup. (Illustration).

REUTERS - HANNAH MCKAY

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Hit in the left quadriceps during the session on Saturday evening, Karim Benzema is forfeited for the World Cup.

After Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kanté, the France team will have to do without another major player to defend its title of world champion.

Advertising

Read more

Convalescent for a month, Benzema hoped to see the end of the tunnel on Saturday, participating in his first collective training with the Blues.

But he had to cut it short, victim of a muscular "injury" in the left thigh, "

", explained the Federation in a press release.

“

,” reacted coach Didier Deschamps.

“

”.

At 34, the center-forward of Real and the Blues will probably never play a second World Cup, after that of 2014 which he finished as the top French scorer.

It can still be replaced

To defend their title, the band of Didier Deschamps will have to do without the former Lyonnais, who returned to grace after the long banishment (2015-2021) following

.

The attack tank nevertheless remains well filled for the Blues, with Antoine Griezmann, Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Kingsley Coman, Marcus Thuram, Randal Kolo Muani … and Olivier Giroud, eternal return and first applicant to replace Benzema.

Fifa regulations allow Deschamps to call up a new player until Monday, the day before France-Australia, to make a last-minute substitution in the event of injury.

But he can also decide to keep a group of 25 players.

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

• World Cup 2022

• France

• Soccer

• Qatar