Karim Benzema has reignited one of the most compelling storylines of his career by revealing he remains fully open to representing France at the 2026 World Cup, despite a turbulent international history that has long suggested his time with Les Bleus is over.
Didier Deschamps’ men will be looking to regain the global crown in North America, spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe — and Benzema is willing to lend a helping hand to the cause.
Benzema has played at just one World Cup
Benzema has only featured at one World Cup, the 2014 edition in Brazil. He was ignored by Raymond Domenech in 2010 and remained in exile during France’s triumphant 2018 campaign as the fallout from the Mathieu Valbuena sex tape scandal left him out in the cold.
When he was finally recalled in 2021 under Deschamps, the return was short-lived. He travelled to Qatar in 2022 but suffered an injury during his very first training session. Subsequently, he left the camp in circumstances that raised eyebrows. Despite never announcing an official retirement, his absence from the national team since then has led many to assume the door had quietly shut.
Door open to Les Bleus return
Yet, speaking to L’Equipe, Benzema made it clear that the notion of him turning down France is simply not true and insisted that football decisions should be governed by purpose rather than politics.
“I’m a football player. So, I play football. When they call me, I come, I play,” he said. “I have goals in my head. I love football and I love winning. I like trophies. That’s what matters most to me. There, I am in my club. If I am called to the national team, I come to play football. And it stops there.”
Despite everything that has happened, the idea of refusing a World Cup return holds no truth for him.
“It’s not a story of no longer wanting to come back to the French team,” he said. “But we have to ask ourselves the question: what am I coming to do with the French team? We are talking about a World Cup. Obviously, these are not things where you have to say: ‘No, I don’t want to.’ Because it’s a lie to say: ‘No, I don’t want to play in a World Cup’.”
Benzema’s Al-Ittihad future in doubt?
While Benzema’s national-team fate is uncertain, his club future also hangs in the balance. The Frenchman swapped Madrid for Jeddah in the summer of 2023, embarking on an ambitious three-year project with Al-Ittihad. His impact has been immediate. Last season, he spearheaded the club to a domestic double of the Saudi Pro League title and the King’s Cup, scoring 25 goals across all competitions and establishing himself as one of the defining figures of the Saudi Pro League’s global evolution. His numbers remain largely in line with the output of his final years at the Bernabeu. Yet his contract enters its final six months, and speculation over his next move has intensified.
“I’m really focused on what I’m doing, whether it’s for these last six months or for after if I extend my contract,” Benzema said. “Some people are better placed to talk about all that. Right now, I have six months left on my contract, so I’m completely focused on football.”
A European return on the cards?
Benzema had revealed that he still watches Real Madrid regularly, and the Champions League continues to stir a sense of wonder in him. That feeling makes it impossible to rule out any scenario, including a return to Europe. He even revealed that several European clubs have expressed interest. For him, what matters most is choosing a place where he can continue competing at the highest level and feel valued.
“The best thing for me is to continue here, but also not just stay for the sake of staying for a year or two,” he told AS. “I can’t do that. I think the level of football in the Saudi league is getting better and better. I’ve been here for three years now, and it keeps getting better and better. It’s true that I have offers from Europe. I have to look at everything, choose wisely, and see where I feel comfortable, without forgetting that I feel good here and receive affection from everyone. But we’ll see. They ask me for things, and I give them things. Everything’s fifty-fifty, but there are things happening. I’m not going to quit football and stop competing in six months.”
