What Benzema and the French Federation live is a impossible to cauterize wound. Nor the praise of Noël Le Graët, president of the FFF, to Karim, recognizing his extraordinary season will serve to redirect a divorce with the Real Madrid player, very hurt by how he was treated by the French leaders, and in special by Le Graët, since the Valbuena case broke out. His is irreparable, as demonstrated by Benzema's response to the praises of the President: “I prefer to laugh.”
This rifirrafe is the last of a long list of misunderstandings that started with the outbreak of Valbuena case, in 2015, which separated the striker from the French team and caused a public enmity between the two. Shortly after the soap opera exploded due to the alleged blackmail of the striker to his teammate (the case is still awaiting a resolution), Le Graët, who always supported Deschamps' decision not to summon Karim because of this controversy, sent him the following message: “Benzema did something stupid like a donkey.” “He is a character who is not censored, but he is not loved either,” he went on to say months later. “You would have to be a little blind or deaf not to understand that it will be difficult to select Benzema, that seems unquestionable “, was another of his darts. Benzema He did not remain impassive before so much declaration and exploded on October 10, 2018. After Le Graët stated that “I have nothing against Karim, he has always behaved well as a team, but I think the team has ended for him”, the forward used his social networks to defend himself: “Mr. Le Graët, I ask you to forget me and leave me alone, please. France is world champion and that is the important thing, the rest is left over. Thank you.”
After a few months of calm water, this season, with Benzema in its footballing prime acting as employer and leader of Real Madrid, the attacks returned. When in November France was clamoring for the striker's return to the national team (at the time he was a LaLiga scorer with nine goals and 11 officials improved the figures of Mbappé, with nine, Griezmann, with four, and Giroud, with one), Le Graët buried any return option. “Karim Benzema is a very good player, I never questioned its qualities. He is one of the best players in his position. But the adventure with France is over. “ declared on Radio Montecarlo. The 9 of Real Madrid again pulled Twitter to respond and launch a challenge: “Noël, I thought you would not interfere with the coach's decisions. Keep in mind that I and only I will end my international career. If you think I have finished, let me play in one of the countries for which I am eligible and we will see” . Benzema is of Algerian descent (his parents were immigrants who came to France from the North African country), although he is only French national. Furthermore, you are aware that He does not have any possibility of be selected with Algeria having already played official matches with France, but his anger led him to challenge him in this way, showing that the divorce was total.
Set aside by Deschamps and dart at Giroud
A divorce that Benzema also signed with Deschamps, France coach. Before Euro 2016, the coach decided push the player away as a consequence of Valbuena case and leave him out of the appointment. The Madrid player exploded, accusing Deschamps of succumbing to pressure from “a racist part of France.” For the coach that It was the end point. “Those statements are very hurtful and it is a no return. At that time I considered that the line had been crossed. “Benzema was not called again by Deschamps and time doesn't seem and the performance player's move of a position which has led him to become world champion with players like Griezmann, Mbappé and Giroud with whom, by the way, Benzema has no feeling, as was evident when the Real Madrid player, asked In March, in case the Chelsea player was better than him, he shot a metaphor: “We cannot confuse a Formula 1 with a kart. I am kind to him, but I am Formula 1. It works in France because it has great players like Griezmann and Mbappé. He does his job. I don't know if everyone likes his game. ” With this scenario and the level of conflict of all the protagonists, despite the last wink from Le Graët, is complicated to break the divorce papers and everyone go back to coexist in harmony.