Karim Benzema is not ready to shut the door on his international story just yet. At 37, the Al-Ittihad striker has publicly acknowledged he would be open to a return to the French national team if called up for the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to L’Équipe, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner admitted that the pull of football’s grandest stage remains irresistible. His words have immediately reignited debate over whether one of France’s most gifted forwards could yet wear blue again.
“But who doesn’t want to play in the World Cup? Everyone wants to play in it,” Benzema said. “I love football and competition. If I said no to playing for France at a World Cup, I’d be lying. If they call me, I’ll come back.”
The statement marks a notable shift from the apparent finality of his international retirement. Only three years ago, Benzema had declared his chapter with Les Bleus closed, following a painful and controversial exit from Qatar 2022.
Benzema’s relationship with the French national team has long been turbulent. Despite his undeniable talent, his international career never mirrored the consistency of his club success.
He was omitted from the 2010 World Cup squad amid internal tensions within the French camp. Four years later, he featured at the 2014 World Cup, scoring three goals, but France exited in the quarter-finals.
What followed was the darkest chapter of his international journey. In 2015, Benzema was implicated in the sextape blackmail case involving former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
Though he denied wrongdoing, the affair led to his prolonged exile from the national team.
During that period, France went on to win the 2018 World Cup in Russia without him. For many, that triumph appeared to cement Benzema’s exclusion as permanent. Yet his extraordinary form at Real Madrid eventually made his absence impossible to justify.
In 2021, Didier Deschamps recalled Benzema ahead of Euro 2020, staged a year late due to the pandemic. The striker responded emphatically, scoring four goals and reestablishing himself as a leader within the squad.
Later that year, Benzema played a key role in France’s Nations League triumph. His renaissance peaked in 2022 when he won the Ballon d’Or, crowning a historic season with Real Madrid. Then came Qatar and another cruel twist. Selected for the World Cup, Benzema suffered a thigh injury in his first training session and was forced to withdraw.
His abrupt departure from the camp, coupled with cryptic comments during the tournament, strained relations with Deschamps. France reached the final without him, losing dramatically to Argentina on penalties. Shortly after, Benzema announced his retirement from international football.
The decision was widely interpreted as a response to lingering frustration and unresolved tensions. Now, his latest remarks suggest that certainty no longer exists. With the 2026 World Cup still more than a year away, the question is no longer purely hypothetical.
France’s attacking options remain strong, but Benzema’s experience and pedigree are unmatched. Whether Deschamps, or any future coach, would consider recalling a 39-year-old striker remains unclear.
For Benzema, however, the message is simple. If the call comes, he is ready to answer. His comments reopen one of French football’s most emotionally charged debates. And until 2026 arrives, the door he thought was closed is now firmly ajar.