By opening the door wide to a return to the Blues at the dawn of the World Cup, Karim Benzema knew that his words would give rise to a powerful movement of opinions. “Who doesn’t want to play in the World Cup? Everyone wants to play this competition. If you tell me to go to the French team to play in a World Cup and I tell you no, I’m a liar.”he confided yesterday to the newspaper The Team. Even if he rejects the idea of a course “unfinished» in blue, the 2022 Ballon d’Or knows that its history with the World Cup has often taken the form of missed appointments. He has only played one, out of four possible during his career (in 2014).
After having won everything at the club, we can easily imagine our desire to triumph in the premier competition one day. But keeping a distance from the truth, would a return of KB Nueve to the Blues really make sense from a purely sporting point of view? Weighing the reasons would rather tip the scales towards no. Didier Deschamps seems to have found his offensive balance with this 4-2-3-1 animation. A device which would already leave little room for Benzema, to the extent that the number 9 position today goes to Kylian Mbappé. Assuming that all forces are united, Michael Olise will be the starter at number 10, when Ousmane Dembélé will occupy a very interior right winger role, his preferred area today. In other words, the offensive hierarchy was built without depending on a profile like that of Benzema in recent months. This hierarchy seems to be composed like this, with Kylian Mbappé as the indisputable starter, Marcus Thuram and Hugo Ekitike as natural replacements, and Kolo Muani and Mateta on the lookout for one last small place in the group.
What message for the new generation?
For Didier Deschamps, recalling the 2022 Ballon d’Or would also be a bit of a betrayal. In 2021, the return of the ex-Madrilenian responded much more to a sporting logic than today. She served the collective interest, and this status as the best player on the planet legitimized her summons despite the history between the two men. Since then, the France team has shown that it knows how to reach the last four of the competition, even without Benzema (final in 2022, semi-final at Euro 2024). At a time when DD has also often repeated his wish to “re-oxygenate” his group, sometimes even by debunking the statutes, recalling KB9 would contrast with this desire. Its strategy is more focused on the future, and it is no coincidence that they have almost ten players to have had their first selections since 2023 (Zaire-Emery, Doué, Barcola, Kalulu, Akliouche, Cherki, Olise, Manu Koné, Ekitike, Mateta…).
Image generation in progress
Kanté has always occupied a place of choice in the eyes of Deschamps, hence his recent return to the selection, Thauvin was recalled to compensate for an avalanche of packages in attack, but otherwise, the returns of former players are exceptional. Corentin Tolisso, for example, is still waiting despite his current form. Recalling Benzema, what would that also mean for the new generation? Hugo Ekitike is an absolute fan of the player, and has already revealed that he received advice from his idol, but bringing Benzema back also limits his chances. The Liverpool striker made us want to be seen again on his last outings in blue, and the recent productions of Jean-Philippe Mateta, scorer twice in three caps, have also given him some credit.
There is also the question of Benzema’s status. The French legend declared in his interview yesterday: “it’s not a story of no longer wanting to return to the French team. But we have to ask ourselves the question: what am I coming to do with the French team?» Benzema is wise to talk about it: what role would Deschamps be able to offer him today? To reintroduce a player of such status, of such stature, is to expose oneself to the risk of upsetting already consolidated balances. You don’t put a Ballon d’Or on the bench, unless Benzema himself accepts this role.
A return to the Blues could also have advantages
While some may legitimately question the Frenchman’s physical condition, his performances in Saudi Arabia are rather reassuring: 7 goals in his last 5 matches while playing in a team in great difficulty (Al-Ittihad is 7th in the Saudi Pro League). His teammate Fabinho declared on the microphone of The Team : “he has a great level, he is still the best French number 9 currently. Karim is very strong, he makes the difference here, to score but also to create. It’s Karim… He still impresses us in training. There are some difficult matches here because of the heat, but it doesn’t seem like it has any effect on him. He runs and he works a lot.» By observing N’Golo Kanté’s matches at Al-Ittihad, Didier Deschamps could not ignore those of Benzema, especially in a championship frequently highlighted by the Blues coach.
At almost 38 years old (he will celebrate in December), Benzema could certainly still bring a qualitative gain. Doing without a striker like Marcus Thuram – as good as he is at Inter Milan – would not be heartbreaking given his performance in the selection. But it would be a little more for Randal Kolo Muani, impacting in the matches that count when Deschamps called on him. “Benzema is a real number nine. The French team still doesn’t have one. No matter how much people tell me that Mbappé is number nine, that he scores a lot of goals, etc., it doesn’t remain Karim Benzema, who was number nine Ballon d’Or. It’s certain that the French team would need a Karim Benzema.”Benoît Trémoulinas estimated yesterday in Greg’s Team. Benzema also benefits from the recognition of younger players, like Ekitike or Cherki, whose profile he says he appreciates. In a locker room where he would no longer be “the headliner”, would he agree to put himself at the service of the collective? According to his words, yes.
“My role (in Saudi Arabia) is also to develop the country, to help young Saudi players hereexplains Benzema. Show them what we can do, what is being done in Europe. With my experience, show them the right path to take. Me, I’m there for them (the local players). I give them a lot of advice and the way forward. I’m not their age, but they see that I work more than them, so they ask for advice.” His experience would remain a strong asset in any locker room, like his qualities on the pitch. All things considered, he is still that player capable of unblocking a situation with an inspiration. From a purely subjective point of view, imagining him ending on a good note in blue would not leave public opinion indifferent either. DD has never liked extended lists, but in this 48-a-side World Cup where the idea of allowing coaches to call up 30 players is gaining ground, Benzema’s biggest fans can start dreaming…
