Will Karim Benzema play for France again? Journalist makes bold claim on key condition for Real Madrid superstar to return to national team

L'Equipe journalist Vincent Duluc recently claimed that Karim Benzema could return for a third stint with the France national team.

He believes if France appoint Zinedine Zidane as their next head coach, Benzema could make a sensational return to the national team setup.

The relationship between Benzema and Didier Deschamps, who is now contracted with the French national team until 2026, soured during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year. The Real Madrid striker pulled out of the tournament due to an injury and subsequently announced his retirement from international football.

Duluc, while addressing the rift between Benzema and Deschamps, opined that the player could consider a return as he wasn't part of the 2018 World Cup-winning squad and the one that reached the final in Qatar. He, however, played at Euro 2020, only for France to get knocked out in the Round of 16.

"Karim Benzema ended his international career, after leaving Qatar before the start of the World Cup, and while no one really knows what happened, not even the other players, there is therefore a new "wolf" between Deschamps and him. But he is 35 years old, he missed the two World Cups where he had to be there, he was present at the only missed Euro of the Deschamps generation: it's a story of missed appointments,” the journalist told L 'Equipe.

He further added that if France decide to appoint Zidane as head coach ahead of Euro 2024, Benzema could consider a return.

"For him to return for a third international streak, Zidane would indeed have to be coach in the summer of 2024. Didier Deschamps, who obviously deserved to push until 2024 after his success at the World Cup, signed an extension contract until 2026, we know, but the very fact that it was Noel Le Graet and he alone who made this decision, just before being forced to resign, could push the FFF to put it back in cause if Euro 2024 went wrong," he added.

The former Lyon striker previously returned from retirement for Euro 2020.

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"Zidane is not going to spend his life waiting for the position" - L'Equipe journalist urges France to appoint Zidane as head coach

Duluc went on to urge the French Football Federation to appoint Zinedine Zidane as their head coach or risk losing to him to another side.

"Zidane is not going to spend his life waiting for the position to become available and nothing says that he will be free the day the France team finally shows up. And nothing says, either, that Euro 2024 is going badly,” added Duluc.

France continued their winning run in the EURO 2024 Qualifiers, beating Ireland 1-0, thanks to a 50-minute strike from Benjamin Pavard.