Karim Benzema has built a legacy as one of the most important players in Real Madrid’s history. As a key part of that attacking trio with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Frenchman became the second highest scorer in the team’s history, winning a Ballon d’Or to leave a legendary legacy. However, he has been absent from the national team for three years, but gave a bold response when asked about a possible return to play in the 2026 World Cup.
“Who wouldn’t want to play in a World Cup? Everyone wants to be part of that tournament… So if you tell me I could go with France to play a World Cup and I say no, I’d be lying…When I get called, I show up and I play. I have my own goals in mind. I love the game and I love winning. I love trophies — that’s what matters most to me. Right now, I’m focused on my club. If the national team calls me up, I’ll go and play. For me, it’s as simple as that,” Karim Benzema said, via L’Equipe.
After having several off-the-field problems with Mathieu Valbuena, Karim was removed from France for six years, missing the victory in the 2018 World Cup. During this time, coach Didier Deschamps limited himself to saying: “I make decisions based on what I consider to be for the good of the national team,” he said, as reported by ESPN. However, Benzema returned to the call-ups in June 2021, but he did not last long.
In his short return, Benzema managed to play 17 matches and then decided to announce his retirement from the national team in 2022 after being left out of the 2022 World Cup due to a muscle tear. By staying in top shape with Al Ittihad, the veteran keeps alive the possibility of returning to play in the 2026 edition, but he remains absent from Didier Deschamps’ call-ups, while Kylian Mbappé and Marcus Thuram’s emergence makes his return difficult.
Karim Benzema of France celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Euro 2020.
Benzema managed to leave a solid legacy in France
Karim Benzema did not manage to leave a legacy as historic in France as the one he left at Real Madrid, but he did manage to leave a solid legacy. After playing 97 matches, he managed to score 37 goals, which makes him the sixth-highest scorer in the history of the national team. In addition, he managed to be his team’s top scorer in the 2014 World Cup, scoring 3 goals and providing two assists in five matches.
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While Olivier Giroud holds the title of France’s all-time top scorer with 57 goals in 137 matches, questions linger about whether Karim Benzema might have claimed that spot had he played the same number of matches. The current Al Ittihad star appeared in 40 fewer games and was absent during the peak years of his career—a period when he won the Ballon d’Or and dominated as a prolific scorer at Real Madrid.
