French football legend and 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, Karim Benzema was ruled out of the world cup on the eve of the Qatar opening ceremony.
The French Football Federation said an MRI scan confirmed a thigh muscle injury “which will require a three-week recovery period”.
Karim Benzema has become the third best footballer of the year to miss the world cup. In 1958, the Spaniard and Real Madrid star, Alfredo di Stefano was out of the World Cup because Spain did not qualify.
In 1978, another Ballon d’Or winner Allan Simonen was out of the world cup due to non-qualification of Denmark.
Sadly, another Real Madrid hero, Benzema had been ruled out not because France did not qualify, but rather because the favorite attacker got injured during training at the World Cup camp.
The sad reality had earlier caught up with the first runner up of 2022 Ballon d’Or, Sadio Mane who will be watching his countrymen from the fans position.
France, the 2018 World Cup winners will also play in Qatar without some of the squad members of 2018 champions like Paul Pogba, N’golo Kante, and Presnel Kimpembe due to injuries.
Is 2022 Qatar world doomed to be without fun? For some, despite the ban on beer by FIFA via pressure from Qatari authorities within the eight venues, fans are still expecting fun.
However, some Arab fans held the opinion that the absence of the two phenomenal players who are Muslims would dampen joy at the football mundial, while looking out for other great stars the tournament will parade.
