France's Benzema retires from international football
France striker and 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema is retiring from international football.
"I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today, and I'm proud of it," Benzema said on Twitter, as translated by Eurosport.
"I have written my story, and ours is ending."
J’ai fait les efforts et les erreurs qu’il fallait pour être là où je suis aujourd’hui et j’en suis fier !
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) December 19, 2022
J’ai écrit mon histoire et la nôtre prend fin. #Nueve pic.twitter.com/7LYEzbpHEs
The 35-year-old announced his retirement a day after France fell to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final.
Benzema missed the entire World Cup in Qatar after being ruled out with a thigh injury on the eve of the tournament.
The Real Madrid star made his debut for Les Bleus in 2007 but had his international career put on hold after he was entangled in a blackmail scandal with former France teammate Mathieu Valbuena. The legal battle eventually led to Benzema being omitted from France's squads for Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup
But France head coach Didier Deschamps reinstated Benzema ahead of Euro 2020, which was played in 2021 due to postponement caused by COVID-19. He scored four goals in four appearances at Euro 2020.
Benzema ends his international career as France's fifth-highest scorer with 37 goals in 97 appearances.