France striker Karim Benzema announces retirement from international football

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After missing France's World Cup run, Karim Benzema has announced his retirement from international football. After becoming injured on the day before the competition, Benzema was sent home, but there was some talk that he would have been able to participate in the final after taking part in a Real Madrid friendly. He apparently turned down the chance to return to Qatar as a result of a dispute with manager Didier Deschamps, and he has now confirmed his decision to end his international career on social media.

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'I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I'm proud of it! I have written my story and ours is ending,' Benzema wrote on Instagram on Monday afternoon.

Less than 24 hours have passed since France's shocking loss to Argentina, which prevented Deschamps' team from clinching back-to-back World Cup victories. Benzema declined Emmanuel Macron's invitation to fly on his private plane to Qatar for Sunday's championship match. To wish his teammates well, he did post the message: "It's time... all united." Vamonos. Let's go, Les Bleus.

Deschamps intends to address his future with the French Football Federation in the new year, but Benzema has chosen to leave the national team rather than wait to see how those negotiations turn out. Benzema ends his time with France with 37 goals in 97 appearances, but his time with the squad hasn't exactly been easy since his debut 15 years ago.

When Benzema made his debut for France against Austria in March 2007, he scored while playing as a substitute. He was chosen for France's Euro 2008 team, however after the team was eliminated early, he faced criticism for his efforts. Benzema was left out of France's squad for the 2010 World Cup despite participating in the qualification campaign on a regular basis, although coach Raymond Domenech said it was because of his club form with Real Madrid rather than his alleged involvement in a sex scandal at the time.

Benzema would participate in Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup, but his involvement in the sex tape blackmail plan targeting Mathieu Valbuena's teammate France resulted in a five-year suspension from international competition, which includes their successful World Cup campaign in 2018. He was included in the France team again for Euro 2020, and he ended up being the third-highest scorer with four goals.