Karim Benzema has made a decent habit of making headlines for all the right reasons lately. In the 2021-22 season, he amassed a whopping 44 goals and 15 assists, featuring only 46 times, across all competitions. This means that he averaged a goal contribution every 66 minutes for the Los Blancos.
Being a part of the infamous 2009 transfer window of Real Madrid which saw the arrivals of stalwarts of the game such as Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, and others, Benzema took his sweet time making himself at home.
He has now truly become the talisman of Madrid. The world of soccer usually witnesses the decline of players in their 30s, but Karim Benzema is aging like fine wine!
Why is Karim Benzema not playing in the World Cup?
Karim Benzema lifted the 66th annual Ballon d’Or Award hosted by France football at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The Real Madrid star lifted the prestigious trophy on 17th October 2022, off the back of a truly phenomenal campaign with the Los Blancos.
2022 marked the first time in the history of the award that it was awarded based on the results of the season instead of performance as per the calendar year. This is also only the second time since 2007 when someone other than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, has lifted this trophy, with the only other exception being Luka Modric in 2018.
This season has not been the best of friends for the 34-year-old worldwide soccer sensation. Coming into the current season, Benzema struggled with minor injuries. As such, the French International was relegated to the bench on several occasions. He featured merely seven times in the Spanish first division for the La Liga defending champions.
De ma vie je n’ai jamais abandonné mais ce soir il faut que je pense à l’équipe comme je l’ai toujours fait alors la raison me dit de laisser ma place à quelqu’un qui pourra aider notre groupe à faire une belle Coupe du Monde. Merci pour tous vos messages de soutien 🙌🏼❤️ pic.twitter.com/SBalX0juAH
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) November 19, 2022
After having been selected by Didier Deschamps for the 26-man World Cup squad, Benzema suffered yet another blow. This time around, it turned out to be a thigh injury that sidelined him for quite some time. It was heartbreak for Karim, who had earned this opportunity to wear the colors of his nation once again, after returning from his exile from the French national soccer team.
Is a return to the French World Cup Squad on the cards?
In a shocking turn of events, Benzema could be set for a return to defending champions France. Spanish media outlets such as RMC Sport are reporting his return to training for Real Madrid. This, in turn, has sparked online speculations, suggesting his return to the Les Bleus, who are through to the last 16 of the World Cup.
Didier Deschamps already has a lot of firepower in his ranks. The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele, and Antoine Griezmann, are performing well. Should Benzema link up with the French squad at Doha, it would only further France’s cause.
The more realistic scenario, however, would probably result in the status quo being maintained. As much as all of us would like to see Benzema’s return, it remains highly unlikely. The primary reason is that he is still not 100% fit. However, all speculation aside, the final call rests with Didier Deschamps, the head coach of Les Bleus.