The French striker stated he’s available to be considered by the coach again, after Deschamps’ departure at the end of the 2026 World Cup.
Karim Benzema hasn’t ruled out the possibility of returning to represent the French national team if Zinédine Zidane takes over as coach. The revelation was made by the striker during a live Instagram conversation with rapper Rohff on Thursday night.
When asked about a possible return to Les Bleus if his former Real Madrid coach does indeed succeed Didier Deschamps after the 2026 World Cup, the current Al Hilal player considered his age. At the time of Euro 2028, the next international competition, Benzema will be 40 years old.
Despite this, the former Real Madrid striker left the door open. “If I continue to perform well and stay in shape, you never know,” he said, adding: “If there’s a place for me.” “Anyway, I do everything to stay in shape.”
The partnership between Zidane and Benzema at Real Madrid was marked by enormous success. During Zizou’s first spell as head coach of Los Blancos, the striker experienced an exceptional period, leading the team to win several titles, including a historic treble in the Champions League (2016, 2017 and 2018). These memories could reinforce Benzema’s desire to be coached again by the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner.
Benzema has 97 caps for France, the last one on June 13, 2022, in a Nations League group stage match against Portugal. Before his return, the player was absent from the national team for almost six years, between 2015 and 2021.
His prolonged absence was linked to controversies, notably the Mathieu Valbuena sextape case and an interview with the Spanish press in which he accused Deschamps of having “yielded to pressure from a racist part of France.” These episodes weighed on the current coach’s decision not to call up the striker, despite his excellent performances for the Madrid club.
