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A day after Les Bleus’ World Cup final loss to Argentina on penalties, France’s Karim Benzema announced his retirement from international football on his 35th birthday.
Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who scored 37 goals in 97 games and led France’s line in Qatar, missed the World Cup due to a thigh injury he sustained in training the day before the competition.
“I made the effort and mistakes it took to be where I am today and I’m proud of it! I wrote my story and ours is ending,” Benzema wrote on Twitter.
In 2007, Benzema made his international debut. He participated in the World Cup in 2014, the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, and was left off the teams for the following two major tournaments due to an extortion scandal.
Last season, Benzema had a standout season with Real Madrid, scoring 44 goals in 46 games across all competitions and propelling them to a LaLiga and Champions League double.
Benzema has scored 10 goals in 16 appearances since his return to the national team, but he was forced to miss France’s World Cup defence, which ended in a 4-2 loss to Argentina on penalties in the Sunday final.
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