France begins its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against Senegal on Tuesday at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. While the defending champions boast a star-studded lineup, one name conspicuously absent from the squad is Karim Benzema. The Al Hilal forward, who scored nine goals and provided two assists in the Saudi Pro League 2025-26 season, will not feature in the tournament. The reason is simple but layered: Benzema retired from international football in December 2022, shortly after the last World Cup.
Benzema’s decision to step away from the French national team came after a tumultuous period that saw him miss the entire 2022 World Cup due to a quadriceps injury. He had been named in the initial squad but withdrew before the first match, and France went on to lose the final to Argentina on penalties. Despite not playing a single minute, Benzema remained officially part of the squad, but his relationship with the team and manager Didier Deschamps had already been strained for years.
Benzema’s Turbulent International Career
Benzema made 97 appearances and scored 37 goals for France, a record that places him among the top scorers in the nation’s history. However, his international career was consistently overshadowed by off-field controversies and injuries. He was infamously excluded from the 2018 World Cup squad that went on to win the title in Russia. At the time, the French Football Federation (FFF) cited an ongoing internal investigation into his alleged involvement in a blackmail plot against teammate Mathieu Valbuena, known as the "sex tape scandal." Benzema denied any wrongdoing, but the controversy cost him a spot in the team for nearly six years.
He was eventually recalled for Euro 2020, where he scored four goals and reminded fans of his exceptional talent. But the return was short-lived. After Euro 2020, Benzema struggled with fitness and form, and his relationship with Deschamps deteriorated further. The 2022 World Cup injury was the final straw, leading Benzema to announce his international retirement at the age of 34, stating that he had "written his story" with France.
Club Brilliance vs International Frustration
Benzema’s club career stands in stark contrast to his international journey. At Real Madrid, he became one of the greatest strikers in the club’s history, winning five UEFA Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, and numerous other trophies. In 2022, he won the Ballon d’Or after a stellar season where he scored 44 goals in 46 matches, including crucial strikes in the Champions League knockout stages. His ability to link play, create chances, and finish with precision made him a unique forward.
After leaving Real Madrid in 2023, Benzema joined Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, following a trend of top European stars moving to the Middle East. While some critics viewed the move as a step down, Benzema continued to perform at a high level, adapting his game to a different style of football. In the 2025-26 season, he scored nine goals and assisted two in the league, showing that he could still influence matches. Despite his club exploits, Benzema’s absence from the French national team has left a void that younger players like Randal Kolo Muani and Marcus Thuram have tried to fill, but none possess the same combination of experience and versatility.
Historical Context: France’s Striker Legacy
France has a rich history of world-class strikers, from Just Fontaine to Thierry Henry to Antoine Griezmann. Benzema’s international career falls short of the heights achieved by Henry (51 goals) or even Olivier Giroud (57 goals as of 2026), but his skill set was arguably more complete. His exclusion from the 2018 winning team remains a sore point for many fans, who wonder what might have been if Benzema had been part of that squad. Some analysts argue that the team’s chemistry was better without him, while others believe his presence could have added an extra dimension in tight matches.
The 2026 World Cup campaign represents a new era for France. Younger talents like Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Kylian Mbappé (who now captains the side) are leading the charge. Senegal, their first opponent, presents a stern test with a talented squad including Sadio Mané and Kalidou Koulibaly. France will rely on Mbappé’s pace and finishing, but without Benzema, they lack a seasoned forward who can drop deep and orchestrate play.
Impact of Benzema’s Retirement on the Team
Benzema’s retirement has forced Deschamps to rethink his attacking options. In the years since 2022, France has experimented with various formations and forwards. Griezmann has often played as a false nine, while Giroud’s hold-up play has been valuable. However, Giroud is now 39 and no longer in the squad. The likes of Kolo Muani, Thuram, and Wissam Ben Yedder have had opportunities but have not yet cemented a permanent spot. The 2026 World Cup opener against Senegal is a chance for one of these players to stake a claim.
Benzema’s absence also affects team morale and media attention. His presence often dominated headlines, both positive and negative. Without him, the focus is more on the collective, which Deschamps has always preferred. The manager has built a tight-knit group that prioritizes team unity over individual brilliance, a philosophy that worked well in 2018. Yet, in high-pressure knockout matches, having a player of Benzema’s quality could be the difference between victory and defeat.
Benzema’s Current Form and Future
Despite his age (38 in December 2026), Benzema continues to play at a high level for Al Hilal. He has adapted his game, relying less on pace and more on positioning, intelligence, and finishing. His goal-scoring rate in the Saudi league remains impressive, and he has also contributed to the development of younger players in the squad. However, there is no indication that he will reverse his international retirement decision. In recent interviews, Benzema has expressed satisfaction with his career choices and has ruled out a return to the national team.
His legacy with France is a complicated one. He will be remembered as a supremely talented footballer who achieved the highest individual honor – the Ballon d’Or – but also as a player whose international career was marked by controversy and missed opportunities. For many French fans, Benzema represents what could have been, a striker capable of elevating the national team to even greater heights. For others, he is a symbol of the discord that sometimes brews beneath the surface of successful teams.
As France takes on Senegal in their World Cup 2026 opener, the absence of Karim Benzema is a reminder of how quickly football fortunes can change. The team that once had an embarrassment of riches in attack now must write a new chapter without one of its most gifted sons. The match will be keenly watched not only for the result but also for how France copes with the void left by one of the game’s great enigmas.
Source: Sportstar News