2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema was ruled out of the FIFA World Cup 2022 due to an injury he suffered on his left thigh during a training session. However, he was not removed from the squad. Talks have been doing rounds lately that the Real Madrid striker is now available to be selected again. France is up against Argentina in the World Cup final to be played at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday.
Benzema was a confirmed starter for France before the World Cup began. Just like he was in UEFA Euro 2020. Before that, in the 2018 World Cup, it was Olivier Giroud who played up top for France. It is Giroud again who has replaced Benzema in the starting line-up and things have remained the same. Just like the previous edition, France is back to compete for the trophy in the final and will look to create history with back-to-back World Cup wins.
AC Milan striker Giroud has been having a fantastic World Cup. After not scoring or assisting even once in all the matches he played in 2018, Giroud has been instrumental with goals this time out. He has four to his name including an all-important header against England in the quarter-final.
Karim Benzema speaks 🗣 pic.twitter.com/wJpjyxmAmp
— GOAL (@goal) December 16, 2022
If Benzema comes back to play for France, it will be Giroud who will make way for him. Will Didier Deschamps take the gamble? Does Karim Benzema want to come back and take accolades for a tournament he has not played in?
Karim Benzema says “Not Interested” but to whom?
Benzema’s latest post on Instagram is captioned, “I’m not interested” (translated into English). The question arises, who is this caption directed to? Is it to France? Stating that he is not interested to play the final? Or is it directed to Manchester United? Yes, it could be so, as he has been rumored to have received an offer from the Premier League club.
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While United has mostly been linked with young strikers, Erik ten Hag might want to have an experienced forward such as the Frenchman.
The 34-year-old striker has only played seven times for Real Madrid in La Liga this season and scored on five occasions. He has been putting up impressive goalscoring numbers for the last few years and earned his Ballon d’Or this year.
According to the new report from El Nacional; “Manchester United is ready to launch a sensational offer to lure Karim Benzema to Old Trafford this summer. The Frenchman’s contract runs out at the end of this season.”
As it stands, Benzema’s contract expires in 2023 so he could be prepared for a new challenge.