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Updated May 18th, 2021 at 18:59 IST

Karim Benzema France return on the cards as Deschamps set to end Madrid striker's exile

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is expected to be selected by Didier Deschamps for the France national football team ahead of the upcoming Euros 2020.

Reported by: Smit Trivedi
Karim Benzema
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Reports from various French publications reveal that Karim Benzema is all set to be called up for the France national football team ahead of the upcoming Euros 2020. The Real Madrid star is expected to be involved in Didier Deschamps' 26-man squad which will end his six-year exile from the national team set up as the Real Madrid striker is reported to feature in the European Championship. 

Le Parisien and L'Equipe have reported on Tuesday evening that the 2018 World Cup-winning manager Didier Deschamps is expected to include Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema in his 26-man team for the upcoming European Championship. The manager is reported to bring back Benzema into the national team set up after keeping him in exile due to the controversial Karim Benzema scandal. 

Karim Benzema scandal

The Real Madrid striker was exiled from the France national football team after Los Blancos attacker was accused of playing a role in blackmailing Mathieu Valbuena. Benzema was accused of foul play towards his former teammate with the French attacker suspected of encouraging Valbuena to co-operate with blackmailers. The events transpired in 2015 and led to Deschamps opting against calling up Benzema for national duty for over six years. However, the French football manager is now reported to make a surprising U-turn from his stand and call upon the 33-year-old striker for the much-awaited international tournament. 

Karim Benzema's inclusion to cause Didier Deschamps the "problem of plenty?"

Other reports also reveal that former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger alongside big names in French football pursue Deschamps to stop ignoring the Blancos star. Didier Deschamps is also reported to call upon Karim Benzema for Les Bleus ahead of the upcoming European Championship due to the striker's incredible form this season. The 33-year-old attacker has been one of the standout players for Real Madrid this season having scored over 29 goals in all competitions this season.

Alongside Benzema, Didier Deschamps will also rely upon his France national football team regulars. It will be interesting to see how the 52-year-old tactician sets up his strike force which consists of Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, and Anthony Martial amongst others.

France squad Euro 2020

The 2018 World Cup winners have a plethora of stars at their disposal across all the departments of the field. The France national football team is filled with rich talent and experienced veterans, as Didier Deschamps has a tough task at hand to select a 26-man squad for the upcoming tournament. With coronavirus pandemic allowing teams to call up 26 players instead of 23, the French football manager will be happy to have three additional inclusions in his national team set up. 

Euro 2020 date

The Euro 2020 schedule sees the tournament kickoff on June 11 with over 51 matches being played across the month-long European Championship. The opening round of matches is set to be played between June 11 to June 23 with the knockouts scheduled later. France finds themselves slotted in Group F’s where they are set to square off against the likes of Germany, Portugal, and Hungary. Didier Deschamps will look to repeat his feat of lifting the World Cup and European Championship as a manager this time around by winning the Euro 2020.

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Published May 18th, 2021 at 18:59 IST

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