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France’s Benzema says international career coming to end

Paris, Dec 19 (EFE).- Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema on Monday said his international career with France was drawing to a close.

In a message published to Twitter on his 35th birthday, the player said: “I made the effort and the mistakes that were needed to be where I am today, and I’m proud of it.

“I have written my story and ours is ending,” he added.

This year’s Ballon D’Or winner had been called up to the French squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but was forced to abandon the team camp before the tournament got underway due to a thigh injury.

The striker had already been back in pre-season action with Real Madrid when France secured second place in Qatar following a dramatic final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

Benzema has had a rocky relationship with France coach Didier Deschamps.

Deschamps left the Lyon-born striker out of the national squad for the 2016 Euros and the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which France won. At the time, Benzema was embroiled in sex tape scandal, for which he was later convicted for blackmail.

The striker of Algerian descent has had more success at a club level, where his goal-scoring exploits with Real Madrid last season earned him the Ballon D’Or.

Long an understudy to Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema has become Madrid’s go-to man in attack.EFE

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