Credits: Real Madrid YouTube channel / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 3.0.
At 37, Karim Benzema reopens, on December 12, 2025, the door to Les Bleus: if he is called, he will come. From Jeddah, the Al-Ittihad striker says he is ready for 2026, while Didier Deschamps has not spoken publicly. In France, the debate is swelling: sporting interest, locker-room balance, message to the new generation. One simple question remains: what use for the team?
What Benzema Says Today
At 37, Karim Benzema reopens a debate thought to be closed. In an interview with the sports press, the Al-Ittihad forward suggests that a return to the France national team is not out of reach. This is not a publicity stunt, but a simple formulation: if there is a france call up 2026, he will respond. The former international, Ballon d’Or 2022, rejects easy romanticism about a final curtain call: he projects himself into the competition and speaks of work, level, and undiminished desire.
Implicitly, a message: he is ready. No staging, no ultimatum. Just the idea that his still-active career can cross the blue jersey one last time. For him, the 2026 World Cup remains a motivating horizon more than a distant myth.
“If they call me for a World Cup, I won’t say no,” he sums up, without emphasis.
Deschamps, The Selection, And The Main Lines
On the side of Didier Deschamps, manager of the france national team, nothing has been made official. No recent statement from the coach confirms or rules out a recall. That is where commentary and conjecture take hold. Some pundits believe the manager will not revisit a chapter closed after 2022. Others see in his management of statuses a slightly open door, if the france 2026 world cup squad requires it.
The context must be recalled: since Euro 2024, the attacking hierarchy has adjusted around Kylian Mbappé 2026 and creative wingers (profiles like Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé), while traditional center forwards 2026 (Marcus Thuram, Randal Kolo Muani, Jean-Philippe Mateta) have earned playing time. The attack setup 2026 tested by Les Bleus leans toward a 4-2-3-1. In this formation, the striker and the number 10 role are already contested areas.
So the question is not only sentimental: where and how to fit Benzema into the france squad 2026 without upsetting the structure? The coach has often claimed the “reoxygenation” of his group. Calling back a Ballon d’Or would be a strong gesture, but must serve a collective interest that only he can arbitrate.
The Debate: Balance, Statuses, And The Message To The New Generation
The return of an icon questions the locker room as much as the tactics. You don’t summon a player with a majestic record lightly. What role? Starter if form demands it? Impact player in a rotation designed for knockout matches? Quiet leader rather than headline act?
The “against” arguments boil down to three points: the balance found without him, the message sent to those pushing (Zaïre-Emery, Doué, Barcola, Akliouche…), and the weight of the 2022 past. The “for” arguments point to Benzema’s unique experience and his exceptional game reading. He also has the ability to improve teammates, including Mbappé. Finally, the value of a number 9 lies in versatility: combine, hold play, finish.
The discussion remains open: it does not pit “youth” against the “old guard,” but questions the best mix for July 2026.
Profile: A Competitor Facing Time
Benzema has never stopped defining himself by work. He stresses routines turned into method: diet, care, repetitions, concentration. Far from glorification, he speaks of duration: “two more years” at a high level, he says, like setting a peak. In Saudi Arabia, where the Saudi Pro League has intensified, he keeps going and assumes a role as a reference for younger teammates. A teammate’s testimony—impressed by his daily influence—goes in that direction: status is read in training as much as in matches.
The competitor in him is not a pose. There is the kid from Bron, the player trained at Olympique lyonnais. Then, the rise in Madrid, then the return to the Middle East in a league project. France has never been far: not as a refuge, but as a measure—applying the demand of the very highest level to himself.
Lyon In The Background: Aulas, The City Hall, And OL
Lyon news seeps into the story. Jean-Michel Aulas, former OL president, is moving toward the 2026 municipal elections in Lyon. Benzema, for his part, does not dance on the tightrope: he praises the man and calls him “excellent” for the city. The remark is not a political platform, more a personal endorsement from someone raised under the Lyon crest.
This sequence says two things. First, the link—never broken—between the player and his formative city. Second, how a sports figure can project into the city without giving up discretion. As for a return to OL as a player, it remains conditional: Benzema opens the door, but promises nothing.
Sporting Scenario: Where To Place Him, What Role?
If called up, two scenarios emerge. First: Benzema as the striker, with Mbappé shifting to a flank, a creative number 10 in support (profile Olise), and inside wingers able to play between the lines (Dembélé). Second: Benzema as the old-style false 9, dropping deep to attract and serve, Mbappé keeping the depth.
Then comes minute management. A player of 38 in June 2026 is not managed like a U-23. In tournaments and in decisive france football matches, energy is a resource; clarity is a competitive advantage. Les Bleus have already succeeded without him, with high-level france football matches—2022 final, Euro 2024 semi-final—and that’s precisely why any potential return can only be considered through the prism of the group.
Contract, Horizon, And The OL Hypothesis
Contractually, Benzema is tied to Al-Ittihad until 06/2026. He reminds that now is not the time for a rupture, let alone a frenzy. Asked about OL, he answers with restraint: the idea of a return does not scare him, but nothing is decided. He mainly says he wants to play more, win, pass on. Summer 2026 concentrates all perspectives: the 48-team World Cup in Canada–United States–Mexico and, beyond, a final chapter to be written somewhere.
Quick Timeline
- 2014: only World Cup played by Benzema, in Brazil.
- 2015–2020: long absence from the national team.
- June 2021: return to Les Bleus for Euro 2021.
- November–December 2022: injury before the 2022 World Cup, end of the Qatar adventure.
- 2023–2024: move to Saudi Arabia (Al-Ittihad), selection reshaped.
- December 11–12, 2025: public remarks opening the possibility of a comeback.
- Summer 2026: World Cup with 48 teams.
What Is Known / What Remains Uncertain
What Is Known:
- Benzema publicly accepts the idea of a return to Les Bleus if there is a call.
- He maintains his condition and projects two more years at the top level.
- He gives explicit support to Jean-Michel Aulas for the 2026 municipal elections in Lyon.
- His contract ties him to Al-Ittihad until June 2026.
What Remains Uncertain:
- The exact position of Didier Deschamps: no recent direct statement opens or closes the door.
- The role the attacking hierarchy would reserve for him (striker, rotation, impact role).
- The overall balance: what effect on Mbappé, on the youngsters, on cohesion?
2022, The Injury, And The Scars
Qatar remains a sensitive point in the story. The injury, the rapid evacuation from the group, the misunderstandings and words posted on social media left scars. Everyone has their version; what matters for 2026 is the ability of the whole to look forward. Benzema, for his part, has stopped nurturing the grievance. The selection has continued to reach the very highest level.
This past should neither sanctify nor disqualify the future. It only recalls that a recall would only be possible with a clear framework and established roles. Moreover, unambiguous communication between staff and players is essential.
Reactions And Media Caution
Public reactions diverge. Some pundits hammer that a return is unlikely. Others think it would be logical if Benzema’s form remained high. There is also fear of a disruption or an ambiguous signal sent to the new generation. The general tone: caution. With one constant: nobody decides outside the coach.
Possible Outcomes: From Simple Dialogue To A Call-Up
Between December 2025 and June 2026, several scenarios coexist. The simplest: nothing changes, Les Bleus keep progressing with their current core and Benzema continues his path in Jeddah. Another: a direct exchange happens, clarifying expectations and a potential role, without necessarily leading to a france 2026 world cup squad. The last, most visible: a late call-up to the france squad 2026, linked to a specific need (profile, injury, management of a key match), and accepted by all parties involved.
In any case, the judgment will be sporting. It will engage the coherence of the project and the life of the group. The contours of a useful role exist; the necessity remains to be demonstrated.
Provisional Verdict
The probability of a return is not a certainty. It is a serious possibility because the man himself embraces the idea. However, it is fragile since time passes and the selection has moved on without him. Between nostalgia and pragmatism, the essential remains: if Deschamps–Benzema judge that france national team benefits, the door will open. Otherwise, Karim Benzema’s career will continue to write elsewhere the same phrase: seek the best.