Why is Karim Benzema not playing for France in Euro 2024?

Since the beginning of the qualifiers for the UEFA Euro 2024 everyone knew that France would be one of the favorites teams to lift the trophy that Italy did in 2020 against England. But can they do it without star Karim Benzema?

It’s not a surprise that the former Real Madrid striker and winner of the Ballon d’Or 2022 Karim Benzema is out of Didier Deschamps’s squad for this UEFA Euro 2024, because he left the team a day after France lost the World Cup 2022 against Argentina.

The Al-Ittihad Jeddah Club striker bid farewell to the French national team via Twitter: “I made the effort and made the necessary mistakes to be where I am today, and I am proud of it. I have written my story and ours is over.”

The reasons why Karim Benzema left France’s squad

His first problems began back in 2015, when he had an extortion problem with his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena and got suspended by the national team for 5 years so he wasn’t called up for UEFA Euro 2016 and Russia World Cup 2018.

He came back in 2021, when Didier Deschamps called him to play the UEFA Nations League, that later France would win for the first time in their history with Karim Benzema as a key player.

Days before the beginning of the Qatar World Cup 2022 he suffered a left thigh tear that kept him away from the field for a while. When the tournament was finished he put an end to his national career with France.

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, specializing in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he made his initial strides as a writer. Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like Roland Garros. His ability to report on real-time events and write under pressure has established him as a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA. Gianni earned his degree in Communication from Deportea in Buenos Aires, Argentina.