France striker Benzema out of World Cup with injury
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - France Training - Al Sadd SC Stadium, Doha, Qatar - November 19, 2022 France's Karim Benzema and Aurelien Tchouameni during training REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
France striker Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup in Qatar after suffering an injury in training, the French football federation said on Saturday (Nov 19).
The Ballon d'Or winner, who has been struggling with a muscle problem, was forced to leave defending champions France's training session earlier on Saturday.
"I am extremely sad for Karim who had made this World Cup a major objective. Despite this new blow for the French team, I have full confidence in my group. We will do everything to meet the huge challenge that awaits us," said coach Didier Deschamps in a statement.
France, already without influential midfielders Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante because of injury, open their campaign against Australia in Group D on Tuesday.
