Benzema has been out of the France squad since October 2015 and is yet again snubbed by Deschamps’ squad, Deschamps even labeled Benzema “pathetic” for liking the this Instagram picture:

It is a picture of Benzema’s skill during the Athletico game where he went past three Atletico defenders, but this time, the face of the Athletico players were replaced by the heads of Deschamps, Giroud, and Valls, the former Prime Minister of France, and Benzema liked the picture.

Deschamps didn’t like this, he said:

"It's pitiful, I would say only one word - it's pathetic…For me, I have always thought a squad comes before everything. I always make decisions for the good of the French national team. I always talk with my technical staff before I announce a squad. I have always done that, I am changing nothing." (ESPN)

Benzema even liked this picture back in March:

What do you think? Should Benzema be recalled to France?

@Tiki I know mate, don't worry, just alway found that pic hillarious and it is a bit true that there is a lot of black player in France. But for sure, you got tons of white player who still get called like Koscielny, Lloris, Giroud, Gameiro, Thauvin, etc... ;)

http://www.sofoot.com/valbuena-repond-a-benzema-443061.html

@Billywalendom The whole story between Benz and Valbuena is another thing completely though. :(

KBnueve is back 🔥 we got our dream team finally... Really happy for Karim.

LOL... we’ll see. Hopefully old stuff is definitely put aside. But I don’t know... Some say he should say no to this because of how he’s been treated.

As for me, I think he’s been a worldclass forward and should, if you only look at what he is producing on the pitch, easily be in the squad. Benzema will make the team better, no doubts.

@Pelle I mean, DD won it all without Benzema so if anything, Deschamp had no reason to beg for him to return. If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if Benzema the one who started working on mending their relationship, especially if he realized that there propably wouldn't be other chance for him to play for France once more in a top european competetition while he still in his prime condition. Like Deschamp getting sacked at this point could take a long time, seeing how he won world cup in 2018.

Anyway, I think thats for sure, Benzema being in the team make them much stronger.

If I was Benz i refuse hundred percent, I would even refuse to pay taxes in France. But he is a competitor, he is aiming ballon d' or and international trophy.. hatts of to him, in his place I would tell them to fuck off sincerely

@emo you are wrong on this... Last France game were horrible, umtiti, Pogba, lenglet, Griezmann are all in terrible form, Giroud is choice number 4 in Chelsea cannot even say if he is fit or mentally prepared... Problem is that if we loose all footix will say it's Benzema fault... Even the presidency of FFF Benzema was a case we got Noel le gret our president being challenged by two pro Benzema, actually having your best player not being selected is the disgrace not the opposite... Specially if it just human ego with the coach...

First panish media set him a trap, " do you think DD is racist ? " He responded " NO, but I think he listened to a racist part of the population " on France they didn't mentioned the no, and they acted as he insulted the coach... I speak Spanish and I know marca reports, never answer to their trap questions...
At the end he was right, politics in France said he shouldn't be part of the team, something never seen elsewhere, everyone spit on him and now he has to carry a normal team in reality, a woldr cup holder team on paper...

For me DD was anticipating his failure, I don't want Karim to be part of it. But I want them to win. So hope he can turn things around with Kiki and Kante....

@tiki Well sure, I know in their last few international games, France been meh, but Deschamp didn't flop at any major tournament since WC 2018 so he got no pressure on him, if he wanted to be proud, to keep his stance and keep ignoring Benzema, he would have been completely entitled to do so and I doubt anyone would be in their right to complain.

I think Benzema make the France squad stronger, even more so now than in the past and I think DD see that but I'm also pretty certain he wasn't desperate to get him either.

Now, I'm not saying Benzema should have begged for forginess or anything, I don't think he has much to reproach himself. But I seriously don't think he would have been in any position to look down on the offer. Especially if they both talked beforehand and made up.

Anyway, the important thing is that they mended their relationship and that Benzema is back in the squad. I don't think its important who made the first step. Just happy for France and also hoping Benzema doesn't become the scapegoat of any defeat.

Politics in France is so toxic and full of intrigues. I know other places in the world are quite aweful too, but in these two categories it feels like France is the worst.

Another wonder game for Benz yesterday, denied goal, equalizer and last minute assist, if Atleti didnt win it could have sound like Aguero last minute goal...

I wish Karim and France to lift the trophy, and there is another victim of the gate : Olivier Giroud, mocked, compared and wrongly criticized too by pro Benzema... they felt it was an injustice and then attacked for free Olivier who had a classy reaction. never complained, and always responded on the pitch...

He wasnt responsible of the injustice, and he did perfect in the team since Benz banning. his 0 goalsvin WC is irrelevant because he was supposed to put pressure on CBs and give spaces to KIKI ( Mbappe ) and Griezmann who played fast transition perfectly. at that time we had the best defense in the world.

But im not fan of the 4-4-2 with brtish style forward going to war in the air. Iprefer the Spanish 4-3-3 with 3 technical players combining with each others that master transition but also slow build up and possession. And Benz is the perfect fit and i have in mind that we got 2 serious joker in Ben Yedder/Giroud both decisive being super subs and having big mental...

As a fan im happy, GBM is something we should have tried way earlier, but better late than never. If the defense was rock solid we could afford not to play 433, but right now with Pogba/Kante/Dembele and GBM its impossible not to try high pressing and possession...

France is not the only nation with a press that deliberately mistranslates or miscommunicates the words of athletes. The US, UK, Spain, even Italy... all these nations have horrendous members of the sports media. It is comical to think about, as the matter manipulated is ultimately mere entertainment through athletics, and yet there is so much money at stake that one must make of it a drama.

For what it is worth, I do not like the style of Deschamps either. It has been a couple of years since I have watched France games, but if I recall his style correctly, I find it to be too reliant on the physical attributes of his players. It is unfortunate that they do not possess a player like Scholes or Kroos, as a midfield trio of Kante, Pogba, and a skilled possessionist would be devastating for their opposition. I suspect that his over-reliance on Mbappe's pace will be his ultimate undoing. A team such as Portugal might opt to sit deep and let France have the ball, but then France will be unaccustomed to maintaining possession as Deschamps has them play very direct football.

They are still the overwhelming favorites, in my opinion. They could have a 'second France' in the tournament without any of their starting XI, and still be serious contenders.

What France often missed is creativity in the final box, especially when the adversary is in a stronger physical than you (I recall the Portugal game). When that happened, they hit you hard and the whole tactic that Deschamps put just collapsed. I hope that Benzema and Giroud and Mbappe can find good synergies which will help us win :). But will take 2-3 games minimum to set up.

@expertfootball Honestly, I expect Griezmann to start over Giroud. Him (Griezmann) and Benz might have a similar profile like some say but I think they'll combine well together.

They did, what a game from front 3, Wales were at 10 but the defender thought a second he was a GK deniying Benz a goal. Waiting from him to open his goalscoring again so he can start tournament with less stress.

Damn Benz is becoming a Legend for his resilience, he forced all the haters respect. Even if I never wish Madrid success I do for Karim...
Rejected from NT for 5 years and half, I can't imagine if he breaks up goalscoring record of Henry, that will be a Mohamed Ali story. Also sad for Giroud, the guy deserves to be in the 24, probably not in the eleven but still.