Saturday 28 / December / 2024
Paris: French footballer Karim Benzema on Monday announced his retirement from international football, just a day after a painful defeat to Argentina by 4-2 on penalties in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final at Lusail, Qatar.
The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner did not feature in the tournament due to a thigh injury and had also declined an invitation from France president Emmanuel Macron to attend Sunday's final in Lusail Stadium at Doha. The footballer took to Instagram to announce his retirement.
"I've made the efforts and mistakes that were necessary for me to be where I am today and I'm proud of it! I've written my story and ours comes to an end," Benzema said in a post on Instagram on Monday as quoted by ESPN.
Benzema was the top-scorer for his nation in the 2014 World Cup, but was later omitted from the team for his alleged role in a sex-tape scandal with then international teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
This caused him to miss his country's second World Cup win in 2018.
Then last year, head coach Didier Deschamps recalled him for the European Championships, where he emerged as his side's top scorer. His side crashed out of the tournament in the Round of 16 phase.
The player ends his international career with 37 goals in 97 international appearances.
