France announce Euro 2020 squad: Karim Benzema makes a shocking return after 6 years

France announce Euro 2020 squad. Superlative performance at Real Madrid earns Karim Benzema a shocking return to national squad after six years.

Karim Benzema-Didier Deschamps-France
Karim Benzema-Didier Deschamps-France | Photo Credit: IMAGO

Real Madrid striker Benzema makes his return to France after six years.

France has announced their 26-man squad list for next month’s Euro, and one thing that can shock many, is the return of Karim Benzema in French squad.

The Real Madrid striker has been absent from the French national team set-up for around 5 years. However, the 33-year-old’s impressive form at the club level over the past two seasons has begged the question of when will Los Blancos striker return to Les Bleus.

Now, France manager Didier Deschamps has opened up about Benzema’s inclusion for Euros.

There is always competition. “You quote Giroud and Benzema, but for more than three years, they were together. By making this choice, it is for the good of the France team, as it always does.

“The France team is supposed to be better with Karim Benzema, but not at all by eliminating Olivier Giroud. Do not forget, however, that for years the French team has obtained very good results: vice-champion of Europe, World Champion “.

He added: “Why now? I don’t have the capacity, nobody has, to go back and change anything. The most important is today and tomorrow.

“There were important steps. A very important one. We saw each other. We discussed it at length. After that, I had a long reflection to come to this decision today.

Benzema has been accompanied by the attackers like Griezmann, Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele in the squad.

Midfielders, including the likes of N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, who were part of the World Cup-winning team in 2018, have retained their places in the squad.

Sevilla’s young centre-back Jules Kounde is also part of the squad for Euros.

Notable Absentee in France squad for Euro 2020

Despite lots of buzz around Eduardo Camavinga and Dayot Upamecano, they failed to make a cut for Didier Deschamps’s side, which will try to raise their bar a notch higher this time.

France squad for Euro 2020

Goalkeepers

Hugo Lloris (Tottenham); Steve Mandanda (Marseille); Mike Maignan (Lille)

Defenders

Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich); Raphael Varane (Real Madrid); Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain); Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich); Lucas Digne (Everton); Leo Dubois (Lyon); Jules Kounde (Sevilla); Clement Lenglet (Barcelona); Kurt Zouma (Chelsea)

Midfielders

N’golo Kante (Chelsea); Paul Pogba (Manchester United); Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid); Adrien Rabiot (Juventus); Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham); Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)

Forwards

Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain); Karim Benzema (Real Madrid); Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona); Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich); Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona); Olivier Giroud (Chelsea); Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco); Marcus Thuram (Borussia Mönchengladbach)