Karim Benzema, a Real Madrid and France striker, has declared his retirement from the national squad following the 2022 World Cup.
Between 2015 and 2021, the 35-year-old was suspended from the team until being summoned back by Didier Deschamps.
This was done for Euro 2020, the previous year.
Benzema's 2022–23 season was derailed in the first half by injury, but he persisted in making Deschamps's team defend their World Cup in Qatar.
The former Lyon sensation initially resumed team practice with Les Bleus, but he quickly sustained a new thigh injury and was forced to withdraw from the competition.
Benzema, who was given a three-week rehabilitation period and had resumed full training with Real Madrid before the final match against Argentina, was not replaced by anybody by Deschamps.
Deschamps could have chosen Benzema for the championship game after deciding not to replace the 35-year-old, but the France manager refrained from doing so.
In the absence of Benzema, who allegedly had another argument with Bleus executives after being passed over for a final appearance, France lost to Argentina 4-2 after a 3-3 draw on penalties.
According to reports, Benzema wanted to stay in Qatar with the team to monitor the progress of his injury, but Deschamps and the team physician Franck le Gall decided to send the striker back to Madrid.
Benzema reportedly felt offended by Deschamps and Le Gall's choice, which is why he skipped the trip to Qatar to witness the 2018 champions compete in the final on Sunday. His international retirement has now been officially declared.
"I worked hard and made the necessary errors to get where I am now, and I'm proud of it! The Frenchman stated on social media, "I wrote my tale, and ours concludes.
Despite a six-year inactive hiatus, Benzema played 97 senior games for France during his international career, contributing to 37 goals and 20 more assists for Les Bleus.
The former Lyon superstar made his Les Bleus debut in a 2007 friendly match against Austria, winning 1-0, and was subsequently chosen for their Euro 2008 campaign.
After it was discovered that Benzema had allegedly participated in sexual contact with a 16-year-old prostitute, he was not selected for France's World Cup team in 2010. The accusations against Raymond Domenech were dismissed in 2014, notwithstanding his insistence that the decision was performance-related.
Before becoming embroiled in another off-field issue, the striker represented France at Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup. He was charged with plotting to blackmail Mathieu Valbuena over a sex film and was found guilty in November 2021.
After Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry, Antoine Griezmann, and Michel Platini, Benzema retires as France's fifth-highest male goalscorer. His lone notable achievement with France occurred in the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League.