By Victor Kanayo
Real Madrid star Karim Benzema has quit international football day after France lost the just concluded 2022 World Cup final to Argentina in Qatar.
His decision is also coming after missing France’s run to the final due to injury he caught on the eve of the tournament.
Thereafter, Benzema who won UEFA Champions League with his club and Ballon d’Or award had some speculation that he could have returned for the final after playing in a friendly for Real Madrid.
However, he reportedly rejected the opportunity to go back to Qatar after falling out with manager Didier Deschamps, and has now taken to social media to confirm that he has decided to call time on his international career.
Before the final, Benzema rejected an offer from French president Emmanuel Macron to take his personal private jet to Qatar for Sunday’s final.
That followed his ‘I’m not interested’ message ahead of the final as he strongly hinted he would snub any call-up.
Benzema was left out of France’s squad for the 2010 World Cup, though coach Raymond Domenech insisted it was due to his club form with Real Madrid rather than his alleged involvement in a sex scandal at the time.
Benzema would play at Euro 2012 and World Cup 2014 but his part in the sex tape blackmail plot involving France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena led to a five-year absence from the international fold, which included their victorious 2018 World Cup campaign.
He returned to the France squad for Euro 2020 last year and scored four goals during the tournament to end up as the third-highest goalscorer.
After impressing in the UEFA Nations League finals, Benzema won the first trophy of his time with the national side.
