Image via @FabrizioRomano Twitter
Karim Benzema, a striker for France, suffered a thigh injury during practice, which has caused him to be ruled out of the World Cup.
After helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga, Benzema, 34, was named the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, given to the world’s best player.
“I am extremely sad for Karim, who made this World Cup a major goal,” said head coach Didier Deschamps.
“In my life I never give up but tonight I have to think about the team like I always do,” Benzema said.
“So the reason tells me to leave my place to someone who can help our team to make a great World Cup.”
The French Football Federation said: “The whole team shares Karim’s sadness and wishes him a speedy recovery.”
According to the report, an MRI scan revealed the damage, which calls for “a three-week recovery period.”
In Group D, France has games against Australia on November 22, Denmark on November 26, and Tunisia on November 30.