Karim Benzema of France has been ruled out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to a thigh injury suffered in training. Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or, which is awarded to the world football player of the year, after helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga.
The French national team announced that he had a thigh injury and will not be able to compete in the world cup.
“The whole team shares Karim’s sadness and wishes him a speedy recovery,” the statement said.
He underwent medical tests after leaving training injured on Saturday; it was the first complete training session he had attended since the World Cup team was assembled last week. The French Football Federation says that an MRI showed that the player has damaged thigh muscles that will take three weeks to heal.
France is in Group D and will face Australia on November 22, Denmark on November 26, and Tunisia on November 30.
Didier Deschamps, France’s head coach, has until Monday to choose a replacement. The injury to Benzema, 34, who has scored 37 goals in 97 games for France, is another setback for the World Cup holders, who are already without midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante due to injury. Manchester United defender Raphael Varane is trying to get back in shape after missing the last five club games.
RB Leipzig attacker Christopher Nkunku was pulled out of the tournament on Wednesday after limping out of training, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani was called up as a replacement.
Manchester United striker Anthony Martial is one of the possible replacements for Benzema.