Karim Benzema announces international retirement after France's heartbreak in FIFA World Cup 2022

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Paris, Dec 19: Hours after watching his national team fail to defend the title in the FIFA World Cup 2022 against Argentina, France forward Karim Benzema has announced his retirement from international football on Monday (December 19).

Benzema - who missed the Final at Lusail Stadium due to injury - announced the decision to end his career with Les Bleus on his 35th birthday on Monday.

The Real Madrid striker - who won the Ballon d'Or in October - took to his Twitter handle and wrote, "I made the efforts and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I'm proud of it!

"I have written my story and ours is ending."

Benzema was ruled out of the Qatar 2022 finals on the eve of the tournament after suffering a thigh injury in a France training session.

After making his debut for France against Austria in March 2007, he scored 37 goals in 97 games for the national side. Benzema's international career was, however, marked by a long period of absence.

Benzema missed Russia WC too

The former Lyon frontman notably missed the World Cup triumph at Russia 2018 while out of favour amid what was then an ongoing blackmail investigation.

This time around he was hoping to play a big part in the trophy defence, but Benzema had been troubled by a niggle in the lead-up to the tournament, which did not bode well.

He was battling to prove his fitness but suffered an apparent injury recurrence during his first full training session with Didier Deschamps' squad.

Benzema underwent an MRI at a Doha hospital and it was decided he faced three weeks of recovery, leading to him leaving the France squad and not returning.

Deschamps said at the time: "I'm extremely sorry for Karim who had made this World Cup a major objective."

Other French players who might join Benzema in retirement

France's record under coach Didier Deschamps is of two World Cup finals and a quarterfinal, plus a European Championship final and a UEFA Nations League title.

"I'm optimistic about the future," said Deschamps, who has expertly mixed youth and experience in his teams.

"A lot of players have played in many of those tournaments and have got experience."

This year's World Cup could also be the last for Olivier Giroud, who at 36 took the central striker role left by Benzema and broke Thierry Henry's all-time France scoring record.

Giroud ended the tournament with four goals and now has 53, two ahead of Henry. Mbappé has 36 and could take the record before the 2026 World Cup.

At 31, and after a standout World Cup, Antoine Griezmann can look toward another World Cup. Deschamps is still only 54 and looks far from fatigued in his 11th year on the job.