Karim Benzema may have snubbed an invite to Qatar but the previously injured France star is still backing Les Blues from home.
The 34-year-old striker, who claimed the first Ballon d'Or of his glittering career in November, was agonisingly forced to head home after picking up a thigh injury upon arriving in the Gulf state with the rest of Didier Deschamps ' squad. Amid claims that he's now fully fit, Benzema rejected an invitation from French president Emmanuel Macron to attend the final at the Lusail Stadium.
Real Madrid 's No.9 had posted a cryptic Instagram message on Friday which read: "I don't care," as Deschamps remained coy on whether he'd reinstate Benzema to his side, having not called up a replacement before the deadline for squad changes passed. Now, though, the French marksman has shown his true colours in a message to his teammates ahead of the final clash with Argentina.
"It's time... all together," Benzema wrote on Twitter two hours before kick-off. "Come on Les Bleus." Rumours of his potential return to Qatar sprang up ahead of their semi-final victory over Morocco, but as reports also swirled that the camp was happier without Benzema, Deschamps was tight-lipped.
"I don't really want to answer that question," the 54-year-old coach replied to a probing journalist after beating Morocco 2-0 on Wednesday. "Next question. I do apologise."
Deschamps subsequently added of Benzema in his pre-final press conference on Saturday: "I have players who have been injured before. Karim is one of them. The last to be injured is Lucas Hernandez. Since then, I have 24 players to manage. Asking the question vis-a-vis (with regard to) these players, it's awkward to say the least, if not a little more. The group is there.
Have your say! Would Benzema have made the France starting XI? Join the debate in the comments section.
"I don't care about invitations from players, former players or injured players. I don't know who will be there. We had a group at the start and who, from what happened... We lost three, with [Christopher] Nkunku at the beginning. They were part of the beginning of the adventure. They will be 24 important players for France tomorrow."
Deschamps' plans were thrown out of the window just 21 minutes into the match, as Ousmane Dembele brought down Angel Di Maria in his own penalty area. Lionel Messi stepped up and cooly dispatched the ball past Hugo Lloris, giving Argentina a priceless 1-0 lead midway through the first half.
And it got even better for the Albiceleste when Angel Di Maria doubled their lead. Messi was, unsurprisingly, at the centre of a slick counter attack which the former Manchester United flop tucked home with ease.
