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Karim Benzema’s Vanishing Act Cost France When It Mattered Most
Published: July 5, 2014
With the increased responsibility on his shoulders, it was going to be make or break for his international career.
If we were to give Benzema a grade for his performances in Brazil, you would have to say he started with an A—two goals and inches away from a hat-trick against Honduras.
However, he finished with nothing more than a C minus—he looked disinterested against Nigeria and failed to step up and produce a performance when his country needed him against Germany.
When he went through his agonising dry spell, going 1,224 minutes without an international goal, Didier Deschamps stuck by his striker, continually starting him when the public calls were there to bench him for the in-form Montpellier, now Arsenal striker, Olivier Giroud.
Relief was the over-riding emotion when he scored against Australia and ended his drought, but the start of his resurgence really began when he scored against Ukraine in France's 3-0 win that booked their place at the World Cup.
When he missed the first two warm-up games before the World Cup, there were doubts on whether he would be able to win a starting place, but they were vanquished against Jamaica.
Benzema played mostly on the left side of the attack, with Giroud spearheading the front line, but the Real Madrid man was given free rein to drift inside, find the space and create a devastating partnership with Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena.
France won that game 8-0, Benzema got a hat-trick and it was the perfect send-off for Les Bleus as they flew from Lille to Rio in preparation for the tournament.
Deschamps made a huge call against Honduras, dropping Giroud and bringing in the young and exciting Antoine Griez...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football
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