Karim Benzema has said his international career is on a long pause as long as Didier Deschamps remains France boss.
He has since demanded answers from Deschamps that have not been forthcoming, and with the France coach having recently extended his contract to 2020 after clinching a place at next summer’s World Cup, Benzema, 29, is all but resigned to his international exile being extended.
“It’s a vague story. There was that sex tape affair, it was also because of that. Personally, what goes beyond sport you have to put to one side, you need the best to win trophies,” Benzema said.
“I don’t have any problem in any case. You mustn’t be silly, though. As long as Deschamps is the national team coach, I won’t have a chance of coming back, that’s what I think anyway. It’s not a question of calling him or not. I had him on the telephone before the Euro. I respect him and I have always respected him. At the start, he showed me a lot of respect, then he turned his back on me just like that. It’s hurtful.”
Benzema has often worked in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo, but he says he loves playing alongside him.
“We get on well. He’s someone who scores 50 goals for you, so you say to yourself that he plays for himself, but if you look at the stats, he makes a lot of assists,” Benzema said. “He likes scoring goals, I love playing with him.
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