World Cup

Didier Deschamps confirms France will not replace injured Karim Benzema

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 20 November 2022

Deschamps confirms France will not replace injured Benzema

France manager Didier Deschamps confirms that he will not replace Karim Benzema in Les Bleus' World Cup squad after the Real Madrid striker withdrew due to a knee injury.

France manager Didier Deschamps has confirmed that his side will not call up a replacement for injured striker Karim Benzema, who was ruled out of the 2022 World Cup with a thigh problem on Saturday.

The Real Madrid man was called up to the Bleus squad for the 2022 World Cup, but he was suffering from muscular fatigue before flying out to Qatar.

Benzema was absent from Real's final two La Liga games before the World Cup and was restricted to partial training before briefly joining the team on Saturday.

However, the 34-year-old sustained a fresh thigh problem later in the session, and scans subsequently revealed that he would be forced to miss the World Cup as he prepares for a three-week rehabilitation period.

"Hit in the quadriceps of the left thigh, the Real Madrid striker is forced to give up participating in the World Cup. Karim Benzema was forced to cut short the collective training session after feeling pain in the quadriceps of his left thigh," a statement on fff.fr read.

France coach Didier Deschamps during training on November 14, 2022 © Reuters

"He went for an MRI at a hospital in Doha, which unfortunately confirmed a femoral rectus injury, which will require a three-week recovery period. After having exchanged with Dr. Franck Le Gall then the Real Madrid striker, Didier Deschamps recorded Karim Benzema's package for the World Cup."

Deschamps had until Monday to call up a replacement for Benzema, with the likes of Moussa Diaby, Wissam Ben Yedder, Anthony Martial, Martin Terrier and Alexandre Lacazette all in reserve.

However, when asked by Telefoot on Sunday if he would be adding in another player to take Benzema's place, Deschamps simply responded: "No".

As a result, France will defend their World Cup title with a 25-man squad, having also lost Christopher Nkunku and Presnel Kimpembe to injuries since Deschamps named his selections.

Axel Disasi was called up to replace Achilles victim Kimpembe, while Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Randal Kolo Muani has taken Nkunku's place after the RB Leipzig man suffered a knee injury in training on Tuesday.

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema pictured on September 6, 2022 © Reuters

Paul Pogba, Mike Maignan and N'Golo Kante are also absent from France's World Cup squad, but Raphael Varane is stepping up his recovery from the hamstring injury he sustained against Chelsea last month.

Varane and Benzema both trained with the team for the first time on Saturday, and the former came through unscathed, but Deschamps was left "extremely sad" for the latter and hinted that he would not replace him on Saturday night.

"I am extremely sad for Karim who made this World Cup a major goal. Despite this new blow for the French team, I have full confidence in my group. We will do everything to meet the huge challenge that awaits us," Deschamps told the FFF website.

As well as Kolo Muani, France's attacking ranks include Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele - all of whom are expected to start in Tuesday's Group D opener with Australia - alongside Kingsley Coman and Marcus Thuram.

The two-time world champions will then tackle Denmark on November 26 before taking on Tunisia in their final Group D game on November 30.