November 20, (THEWILL) – Karim Benzema will not participate in the Qatar 2022 World Cup due to a thigh injury.
The announcement follows Benzema’s initial exclusion from France’s opening group stage encounter against Australia on Tuesday. His participation in the remaining rounds of the competition was in doubt but he will certainly be excluded from the squad.
The French team already is without Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté, Boubacar Kamara, Presnel Kimpembe, and Christopher Nkunku due to injuries, so losing Benzema is a severe blow, especially to their front line.
Due to injuries, Raphael Varane’s participation is also uncertain. Still, the team’s talented squad depth makes them formidable. They have Kylian Mbappé, Olivier Giroud, Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembélé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Eduardo Camavinga to field.
Since arriving in Qatar on November 16, the 34-year-old had been engaging in a tailored training regimen designed by the French national team in preparation for the World Cup, and performing drills apart from his Les Bleus teammates. After missing Russia 2018, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, Benzema, was aiming to assist Les Blues to challenge for another trophy this year but might have to wait for 2026.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
