Jean-Michel Larqué keeps a watchful eye and a strong opinion on what is happening in the world of football. The former AS Saint-Étienne spoke about the end of Karim Benzema’s career. With regret and sadness.
Having left last summer to pocket a few hundred million additional euros in Saudi Arabia, Karim Benzema today seems to have gotten a little lost in his club Al-Ittihad. Far from the level he displayed a few months ago, when he shone and almost single-handedly carried Real Madrid, the 2022 Ballon d’Or is today the target of supporters disappointed not to see the best of the former international tricolor. In France too, there is disappointment. Jean-Michel Larqué also expressed his feeling of sadness over the end of Karim Benzema’s career.
The consultant of RMC spoke on the subject on Thursday. And he clearly indicated that he would have preferred a completely different outing for Karim Benzema, more at the height of his career in Europe and at Real. ” En October 2022, he received the Ballon d’Or. It’s no small thing to receive a Ballon d’Or which rewarded a fabulous year. And then the 2022-2023 season wasn’t that bad. Real were not champions (of Spain), but they were semi-finalists in the Champions League. (…) It is not a sanction that I am asking for, I express regrets. (…) The exit is important, and in a statement, Karim Benzema stated his wish to retire at Real. It was the opportunity to leave through the front door of Real, with the Ballon d’Or in my hands (…). »
“The twilight of a career is a terrible thing”
But the appeal of hard and fast euros has decided otherwise. To the great dismay of Jean-Michel Larqué. “ He got lost in a somewhat artificial championship that I often watch. Karim Benzema no longer has the legs. The twilight of a career is a terrible thing. It’s a battle that’s lost in advance. He no longer has the legs and the desire that he had. He no longer has, perhaps, the seriousness he had in training. » While seeking to put the situation into perspective, Thierry Roland’s former accomplice concluded. “ He misses his exit. It doesn’t matter, no one died. But it’s a losing battle and I have the impression that he could have gone out the front door. He didn’t do it, it’s a shame. One more year at Real, or retiring at that time, would have been more boring. »
