Ballon D’or winner Karim Benzema is reportedly a World Cup doubt for France.
The Real Madrid striker was set to lead the line for the holder sin Qatar alongside Paris-SG superstar Kylian Mbappe, with Les Bleus among the favourites to go all the way in Qatar. But Didier deschamps is now sweating over his star man’s fitness on the eve of the tournament. The 1998 winning captain has 24 hours to call up a replacement if needed.
Benzema, who featured against Celtic as Real beat the Hoops home and away in Group F of this season’s Champions League, has been struggling with injury this season, prior to being voted the best player in the world for his exploits last campaign, and had to be subbed off at Parkhead on matchday one. And now he’ll miss his country’s opener against Australia on Tuesday, with L’Equipe claiming that he could in fact have to sit out the entire tournament with a thigh problem that cropped up during training.
The news will come as a boost to the Socceroos. Graham Arnold’s men have qualified for their first World Cup since 2014 and are the first side to face the 2018 winners. Hearts trio Kye Rowles, Cammy Devlin and Nathaniel Atkinson are set to feature alongside Martin Boyle of rivals Hibs, St Mirren’s Keanu Baccus and Dundee United’s Aziz Behich. Aaron Mooy of Celtic is set to play a big part in the Middle East as well.
Rowles is set to start at centre back for the Aussies, and the defender’s life will be slightly easier with Benzema missing. There is the small matter of shackling Mbappe however, with the boys from Down Under having their work cut out to pip Denmark to second in what will likely be their best chance of reaching the knock-out stage.
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