Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema is set to miss the World Cup after being injured during training with France in Qatar.
The 34-year-old French striker, who last month won the Ballon d’Or, the prestigious award that anoints the world player of the year, sustained an injury to his left thigh during a training session on Saturday.
He was immediately ruled out of France’s opening game against Australia but scans later conformed the damage was severe enough that he would not recover in time to play any part in the tournament.
“I’ve never given up in my life but tonight I have to think of the team, as I have always done,” Benzema wrote on Instagram.
“Reason tells me to give my place to someone who can help our squad have a great World Cup. Thank you for all your messages of support.”
Asked on Sunday by French newspaper TeleFoot whether he would replace Benzema in his squad, manager Didier Deschamps said no.
“This is a quality group,” he added. “In everything they do, both on and off the pitch, they are united. I have confidence in them.
Deschamps, the French coach said he felt “extremely sad” for Benzema, “who had made this World Cup a major objective”.
Benzema missed France’s victory in the 2018 tournament as part of yearslong ostracism from the national team related to a blackmail scandal. Under the World Cup’s rules, Deschamps has 24 hours to name a replacement.
Benzema is not the only star player that has been ruled out of the World Cup in Qatar due to injury. The Senegal and Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane was ruled out last week with a knee injury. Argentina has lost Giovani Lo Celso, Germany will be playing without Timo Werner and Marco Reus, while Portugal will be with Diogo Jota.
Source: BBC News, Sky Sports, The New York Times, The Guardian, image from Twitter: @ActuFoot