Karim Benzema is this year's Ballon d'Or winner and has been proving his prowess as a striker for years. He missed the World Cup at short notice due to an injury - and is now stepping down completely. This ends a career in France that has been anything but smooth.
One day after losing the World Cup final, which he missed through injury, Karim Benzema announced his retirement from the French national soccer team. "I have written my story and ours is coming to an end," the 35-year-old Real Madrid forward wrote on social media, along with a picture of himself in the national team shirt. "I made all the efforts and made mistakes to get where I am today," continued the star striker on his 35th birthday.
Benzema took part in the 2008, 2012 and 2021 European Championships and the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, but was absent from the squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which France won. Benzema also missed the EM 2016 and the World Cup in Qatar, when the French reached the final. He was absent from Qatar with a hamstring injury sustained just before the tournament. In 97 international matches, Benzema had scored 37 goals for the Équipe Tricolore.
This year's Ballon d'Or winner made his international debut in 2007 but was not considered for the national team between December 2015 and spring 2021. A case of blackmail over a sex tape of his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena led to the suspension and a dispute with national coach Didier Deschamps.
