BEVERLY HILLS, May 18, (THEWILL) – In a shocking turn of events, Karim Benzema has been recalled to the French football squad as France concludes preparations for Euro 2020.
It will be the first time that he will be getting invited after being left out in the cold for six years.
Benzema has not played for France since the 2015 case of an alleged involvement in a sex-tape scandal against team-mate Mathieu Valbuena. Although the criminal proceedings for that case remain ongoing, he has now received an invitation to feature for Les Bleus.
In an interview Benzema gave after his exclusion from the squad for Euro 2016, he claimed that their head coach, Didier Deschamps had “bowed to the pressure of a racist part of France” in making the decision to leave him out. After six years, the striker with 27 goals in 81 appearances for his country, is set to be involved this summer at the Euro again.
Benzema will join Deschamps’ 26-man squad, which will be announced on Tuesday. Les Bleus feel that “recalling Benzema is now opportune from a strict sporting point of view and does not present, in any way whatsoever, any risk for the balance and harmony of the France group”.
In what has been a sterling season for Benzema, the striker has found the net 29 times in La Liga and recorded eight assists in all competitions for Real Madrid this season and will easily slot into the Euro frontline on the French side with standout Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona striker Antoine Griezmann as France’s main starting options.
This will please Real coach, Zinedine Zidane, who had queried the decision to exclude his striker saying it was baffling as Benzema could do a lot for the team.
He had said: “How can we understand why Karim doesn’t go with the national team? There are many who don’t understand it. But it’s better for me as coach of madrid that he stays. He has done a great job for us.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
