Karim Benzema may yet end up with a World Cup winners’ medal.
The French forward had to retire from the tournament before it even started due to a muscle injury, choosing to relax in Reunion for several days before returning to Madrid. He has since been working on his recovery.
However France manager Didier Deschamps did not call up a replacement for Benzema, leaving him in the squad. Previously he has denied any possibility that Benzema might be able to return to the pitch, as per Diario AS.
Speaking after Les Bleus triumphed 2-0 over Morocco in the semi-final, Deschamps scoffed at the question as to whether Benzema would be present on Sunday.
“Pfft… I prefer not to answer that. Let’s go, next question.”
The same paper say that Real Madrid will give Benzema permission to miss training and travel to Doha for Sunday’s match should he want to.
With Benzema technically remaining in the squad, despite not even having made the bench, the Ballon d’Or winner could yet add an international medal to his cabinet.
