France star Karim Benzema out for World Cup with leg injury after knee injury picked up in France’s defeat against Croatia
Karim Benzema was forced to leave France’s World Cup opener against Wales, with his latest injury to his right knee picked up over the festive period.
The French striker picked up an injury during the 2-1 win over Serbia and needed to have scans following the game.
The 34-year-old is set to undergo surgery, with a timeframe for a recovery of four weeks being given.
He did not feature for France in the first two matches of their World Cup campaign, where they lost to Costa Rica and Croatia.
Benzema has a long history of injuries, with he last played live football at the 2016 European Championship when he scored twice against Switzerland.
The France international’s career has already been impacted by previous serious injuries to his right knee, with he has struggled to recapture his early years with the club
He has previously made a successful return from a serious knee injury in 2014, when he made a successful comeback from a ruptured ligament to play against Sweden.
Having said that, there are no doubts Benzema will be missed on the pitch, with the Frenchman having scored 29 goals in 80 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, with many pundits tipped to be in his line up for France in the coming weeks.
He has also made history in the last few seasons, scoring more than 30 goals in just six seasons with AS Monaco.
There was an announcement on Benzema’s departure from the Bernabeu on Friday afternoon, with the France striker out for the rest of the season after suffering an injury picked up in the 2-1 defeat against Croatia.
In fact, it is the latest injury to his career, with the former Wigan man having first suffered a serious knee injury back in February 2013.
His knee had been seriously damaged in an FA Cup game in February 2013, leading to a year-long spell on the sidelines.
He was then forced to undergo knee surgery, with the procedure proving to be complex, in
