Karim Benzema forfeits the World Cup, it’s a blow for the Blues and all the French people who support the national team. Without the Ballon d’Or, will France still be able to shine in this international competition? Despite the sadness, the supporters want to believe it. “I almost want to cry”, “It’s a big regret”, confide supporters at the microphone of Europe 1 after the announcement of Karim Benzema’s injury. “I think it’s a handicap for France,” said another.
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But the French want to remain optimistic, and bet on Kylian Mbappé. “Frankly, there will still be people, there will be Camavinga, there will be Mbappé”, launches a football fan. For almost a third of French supporters, he is the one who will score the most goals during this World Cup, shows an OpinionWay poll for Le Parisien published last night, even ahead of Lionel Messi, his PSG teammate or even the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Hope is always allowed
Less enthusiasm, however, for Olivier Giroud. “Giroud is very, very good but a little less than Karim Benzema. So that totally flips the cards for Didier Deschamps who will have to compose differently”, explains a supporter. The responsibility would therefore weigh on the shoulders of Mbappé who will have to lead from the top of his 23 years the attack of the Blues with the absence of certain executives of the team, while the French see the Brazil of Neymar and the Argentina of Lionel Messi as very serious contenders for the title.
With or without Benzema, France nevertheless have faith in their team. “There are players who can make a difference”, we believe at the microphone of Europe 1. In 2018, the tricolor team had also lifted the trophy without the Real Madrid player. Hope is always allowed for the Blues, who therefore hope to bring the cup home again, just like 42% of French people according to the OpinionWay poll. Only two selections have achieved the feat of winning two titles in a row, Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962. If France succeeded, it would simply be a first for 60 years.