Striker Karim Benzema of the France national soccer team wrote a social media post on Monday that gave the impression that he will be ending his international career.
The message was written the day after France lost to Argentina in the World Cup final, in his absence.
After winning the Ballon d’Or, given to the best soccer player of the year, Benzema saw his dream of winning the World Cup vanish last month, before the tournament even started in Qatar, when he suffered a torn muscle in his left thigh during a training session with the “Blues”.
“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,” Benzema wrote on Monday, the day of his 35e birthday.
The message was accompanied by a photo where we see him wearing a France jersey.
Benzema, a Real Madrid player, was France’s top scorer at the 2014 World Cup. However, he did not take part in Les Bleus’ 2018 triumph because he was still excluded the national team in the wake of a “sextape” blackmail case targeting Mathieu Valbuena, a teammate in the France team, revealed in 2015.
He was only recalled by the France team in May 2021.
Last year at the European Championship, Benzema looked strong and was France’s top scorer with four goals.
During the World Cup in Qatar, Olivier Giroud replaced Benzema with the France team and completed the tournament with four goals. He was, however, substituted before the end of the first half in Sunday’s final, when Argentina were leading 2-0.
France came from behind and tied the score at 2-2 after 90 minutes, and 3-3 after two additional periods of 15 minutes.
Argentina eventually won the match 4-2 on penalties to crown one of the most thrilling finals in World Cup history.