Karim Benzema has rejected an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the World Cup final, sources have told ESPN.
Benzema suffered a thigh injury days before France‘s first game of the competition which led to him flying home.
Like the other players injured, Benzema was given the opportunity to join the presidential plane to travel to Doha for the final but, alongside Laurent Blanc, Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini, he did not accept the invitation.
Lucas Hernandez, who also got injured during the first game against Australia, will not be there either.
Didier Deschamps didn’t want to get drawn into the controversy in his prematch news conference on Saturday.
“There have been players injured and Karim was one of them. Since that time, I have had 24 players to look after,” Deschamps said. “Asking this question [about Benzema returning] is clumsy in regards to them. I don’t deal with invitations for the final for injured players or former players. Some will be there, others not.”
