Karim Benzema announces retirement from international football after France's WC final loss

• Image Credit: Google

• Dec 19, 2022 | Dhupali Das

Benzema was compelled to miss France's World Cup-winning campaign owing to a thigh injury...

Digital Desk: Ballon D'or winner Karim Benzema has brought curtains to his international career on the back of France's defeat in the 2022 World Cup final to Argentina. Benzema was compelled to miss France's World Cup-winning campaign owing to a thigh injury.

For the national team, Benzema played in 97 games, in which he scored an impressive 37 goals. The Real Madrid superstar had made his debut for France in a friendly against Austria on March 28, 2007. Benzema's first goal for the national team came later that year against Faroe Island in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualification clash.

"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 revealed his decision on Twitter less than 24 hours after France was defeated by Lionel Messi's Argentina in the summit clash.

Benzema retires from international football as France's fifth-highest goal-scorer in history. Benzema played for the national squad in the 2008 and 2012 Euros as well as the 2014 World Cup. However, he missed out on making the 2010 World Cup squad.

However, after an off-field scandal in 2015, Didier Deschamps exiled Benzema from the squad for nearly six years. This caused him to miss France's World Cup-winning campaign in 2018 as well as their home Euro 2016 run to the final.

Benzema was recalled to the squad ahead of the 2021 Euros last year. While the Las Vegas hero had a fantastic tournament with four goals in four games, the Les Blues were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Switzerland on penalties in a game in which he scored a brace.

After being the star of Real Madrid's Champions League and La Liga title wins in 2022, Benzema won the Ballon D'or for the first time a few months ago.