Karim Benzema caused a stir up in the media over the weekend when he brushed off comparisons between himself and Olivier Giroud.
The Real Madrid forward has been missing in action for the France National team since December 2015, when he was suspended indefinitely after being charged with conspiracy to blackmail former teammate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape.
This was followed by Didier Deschamps subsequent decision of Benzema not making the cut for the Euro 2016 – a tournament Les Bleus hosted and lost in the final to Portugal.
After missing the 2018 football festival in Russia, where Deschamps side won the trophy, Noel Le Graet, president of the French Federation insisted that the forward’s “adventure is over with the French national team”.
Olivier Giroud has been the first choice striking option for the gaffer since the suspension of Benzema. Though he failed to score in the World Cup, Deschamps defended his decision to continue to play the Chelsea forward.
In an Instagram live video, the Real Madrid number 9 laid into his replacement in the France set-up, claiming, “You don’t compare Formula 1 with karting, and I am being nice,” Benzema said on Instagram Live. “Next…I know that I am Formula 1.
“It works because he is there, that is the only reason. It won’t be spectacular, he won’t do something amazing, but he has his thing.
“Aside from that, does everyone like the way he plays? I don’t know.”
Giroud has struggled for game time at Chelsea having led France to World Cup glory in 2018, while Benzema continue to spearhead Real Madrid’s attack under Zinedine Zidane.
His performances earlier in the season led to many suggesting he could be allowed back into the team with Giroud struggling for game, but that is likely to be in doubts after his comments.
