PARIS: Ballon d’Or Winner Karim Benzema announced on Monday that he was ending his international career, the day after France lost in the World Cup final to Argentina.
“I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I’m proud of it! I wrote my story and ours ends,” wrote Benzema, 35. years, on Twitter.
Benzema, who has scored 37 goals for France in 97 appearances, had to withdraw from France’s World Cup squad ahead of his debut with a left thigh injury.
The Real Madrid player, who won the Ballon d’Or in October, was desperate to feature in Qatar having not been selected when France won the World Cup in Russia four years ago.
He was banned from the France team for five and a half years due to his involvement in a blackmail scandal over a sex tape involving his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
At a trial last year, he was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and fined 75,000 euros ($79,500).
For the Qatar World Cup, coach Didier Deschamps opted not to call up a substitute and France still had depth in their squad, notably in an attack led by 23-year-old Kylian Mbappe.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Mbappe won the World Cup Golden Boot with eight goals, including a hat-trick in Sunday’s penalty shoot-out loss to Argentina after a 3-3 draw at the end of extra time.
“I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I’m proud of it! I wrote my story and ours ends,” wrote Benzema, 35. years, on Twitter.
Benzema, who has scored 37 goals for France in 97 appearances, had to withdraw from France’s World Cup squad ahead of his debut with a left thigh injury.
The Real Madrid player, who won the Ballon d’Or in October, was desperate to feature in Qatar having not been selected when France won the World Cup in Russia four years ago.
He was banned from the France team for five and a half years due to his involvement in a blackmail scandal over a sex tape involving his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
At a trial last year, he was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and fined 75,000 euros ($79,500).
For the Qatar World Cup, coach Didier Deschamps opted not to call up a substitute and France still had depth in their squad, notably in an attack led by 23-year-old Kylian Mbappe.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Mbappe won the World Cup Golden Boot with eight goals, including a hat-trick in Sunday’s penalty shoot-out loss to Argentina after a 3-3 draw at the end of extra time.
