In Benzema’s absence, Olivier Giroud has led the French attack, scoring four goals in five games in Qatar.
Karim Benzema, renown Real Madrid star player, may take a flight to Qatar to re-join the France team before their World Cup final match against Argentina on Sunday.
After suffering a thigh injury during a training session in Qatar, Benzema was forced to withdraw from the World Cup. His chances of competing in the event appeared to be over when he took a flight back to his home in Madrid to start his recuperation.
The 34-year-old was told that his muscle tear would take three weeks to recover, and he departed Doha thinking that he would be replaced in the team.
He missed the tournament due to injury, joining players like Paul Pogba, Lucas Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, N’Golo Kante, and Christopher Nkunku.
“I’ve never given up in my life but tonight I have to think of the team, as I have always done,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “So reason tells me to give my place to someone who can help our squad have a great World Cup.”
However, on the eve of France’s opening match against Australia, manager Didier Deschamps decided against replacing Benzema. Instead, he worked with 25 players in Qatar as opposed to 26 and led Les Bleus to the final game after a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Wednesday.
Benzema is still featured on the World Cup roster that was approved by FIFA. The Ballon d’Or winner is back in full training with Real Madrid after some rest days and a vacation, and according to Mundo Deportivo, he might fly back to Qatar before the final.
Now that Benzema reportedly has permission to do so from Madrid, it is up to Deschamps.
After Morocco’s victory, reporters questioned the France manager about the prospect, but he remained silent. He replied: “I’d prefer to move on to the next question.”
Benzema was the top scorer for Les Bleus in the 2014 World Cup and has 37 goals in 97 appearances for France. He was nevertheless banned from the team for his involvement in the sex tape scandal with then-France teammate Mathieu Valbuena, for which he was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and a €75,000 fine for complicity in an attempted blackmail scheme. As a result, he was unable to participate in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
In Benzema’s absence, Olivier Giroud has led the French attack, scoring four goals in five games in Qatar. The 36-year-old former Arsenal striker now holds the record for most goals scored for his nation, surpassing Thierry Henry.
On Sunday, he’ll likely team up with Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, and Kylian Mbappe once more.
