France will face Argentina in the 2022 Qatar World Cup final on Sunday. But some fans are wondering what the original nationality of Bleus star Karim Benzema is and if it is Albanian.
Benzema has played no part in France’s route to the showpiece FIFA tie with La Albiceleste on December 18. The Real Madrid striker sustained a thigh injury in training with Les Bleus in Doha ahead of the tournament. The issue saw the 34-year-old withdraw from their side.
Yet France boss Didier Deschamps has refused to rule out Benzema potentially featuring to some extent in the final. He noted, via BBC Sport, that he ‘prefers not to answer’ questions on the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner featuring after not officially removing him from the squad.
What is Karim Benzema’s original nationality and is the France star Albanian?
Benzema would have spearheaded France’s attack at the World Cup if he had been fit to feature in Qatar. The 97-cap international scored six and created one goal over 12 games with Real Madrid this term before he also developed muscle fatigue ahead of Qatar 2022.
The 22nd edition of FIFA’s quadrennial tournament would have also been just Benzema’s second World Cup after Brazil 2014. He did not make Les Bleus’ team for the 2010 edition in South Africa. Deschamps also did not take him to Russia in 2018 as France won the title.
Now, Deschamps must mull a possible place in his team – likely on the bench – for the Real Madrid ace against Argentina. But some fans are also wondering what Benzema’s original nationality is and if the France forward yet to play at this World Cup is of Albanian descent.
Well, no, Benzema is not Albanian but the France forward’s parents are both Algerian. Per Goal, his father, Hafid Benzema, and mother, Wahida Djebbara, immigrated to France and had their son in 1987. He was born on December 19 in Lyon in southeast-central France.
Karim Benzema could have represented Algeria but chose to play for France
Being of Algerian descent, Benzema could have represented the country of his family but elected to play for France. The five-time Champions League winner has never represented another nation. He has earned caps for Les Bleus at Under-17, 18, 19, 21 and senior levels.
Benzema also helped France win the U17 European Championship in 2004 beside players like Samir Nasri and Hatem Ben Arfa. Yet he was only the backup striker to Jeremy Menez at the tournament. He later won the UEFA Nations League in 2021 for his only senior title.
Raymond Domenech handed Benzema his senior France debut in March 2007 in a friendly with Austria. The forward would also score his maiden goal against Das Team. He has since struck a total of 37 goals and created a further 20 in his 97 outings across all competitions.
The Real Madrid star asked Les Bleus to free him for another country in 2019
But while Benzema opted to play for France in 2007 when Domenech handed the forward his debut, the Real Madrid star – whose original nationality is French but with family ties to Algeria (not Albania) – asked the French Football Federation (FFF) to release him in 2019.
Benzema was exiled from the France side between 2015 and 2021 and faced a future with no international duty. FFF president Noel le Graet told RMC Sport that ‘the adventure with France is over’ for the forward in 2019. Benzema would respond by asking for his release.
“Know that it will be me and me alone who decides when my international career is over,” Benzema posted on social media, via Goal, at the time. “If you think that I am finished, let me play for a country that I am eligible to play for and we will see.”
Having made 81 caps for France with most coming in competitive games, FIFA likely would not have granted Benzema’s request. He eventually returned to the Bleus fold in 2021 for Euro 2020. He also scored four goals in as many games over the European Championship.
Yet despite Benzema netting a brace against Switzerland, France bowed out in the Round of 16 to Nati on penalties. The two sides had drawn 3-3 before Yann Sommer saved Kylian Mbappe’s penalty in the shootout. Deschamps had taken Benzema off during extra time.
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