The Ballon d’Or winner had to leave earlier on Saturday’s training session for the defending champions France due to a muscular issue.
“I feel a great deal of sadness for Karim, who had made winning this World Cup a top priority. Even with this latest setback for the French team, I am completely confident in my team. We will make every effort to tackle the enormous challenge that lies ahead of us “Didier Deschamps, the coach, made a statement.
In his first season with Real Madrid, Benzema had an outstanding campaign, scoring 44 goals in 46 games across all competitions to help Real Madrid win the LaLiga and Champions League double.
He was France’s leading scorer at the 2014 World Cup, but despite only joining the team again last year after a six-year sabbatical, he was not a part of their triumph in the 2018 tournament.
Exile from the country was brought on by a blackmail controversy and his statement that Deschamps had “bowed to the pressure of a racist element of France” when he left the forward, a Muslim of Algerian heritage, out of the Euro 2016 team.
Benzema has scored 10 goals in 16 games since his comeback to the international team.
In an Instagram post, Benzema stated, “I’ve never given up in my life, but today I have to think of the team, as I have always done.
“Therefore, logic dictates that I give up my spot to someone who can contribute to our team’s World Cup success. I appreciate all of your encouraging letters.”
Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, and Christopher Nkunku are already out injured for France, which plays Australia in Group D on Tuesday.
