Because of Benzema, he is going through hell in the French team!

Monday 20th January 2025 10:38 PM

Thibault Morlain
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Journalist

After trying different sports, Thibault turned to a career as an amateur footballer. When making a choice between becoming a professional footballer and a journalist, the qualities tipped the scales to one side. Here he is now in the editorial team of 10 Sport, after a diploma obtained at the International Institute of Communication in Paris.

Olivier Giroud and Karim Benzema have rubbed shoulders on several occasions in the French team. But between the two, the relationship was marked by certain tensions. We remember in particular the affair of karting and Formula 1. While the shadow of Benzema often hovered over Giroud, it was not easy for him to live with as he was able to tell.

We all remember this punchline dropped by Karim Benzema againstOlivier Giroud. In 2020, the former striker Real Madrid had thus said, when asked about his rivalry with his compatriot: “ It will be done quickly: we don’t confuse F1 and karting, and I’m nice. Next. (…)Me, I know that I am F1 “. In the end, the two scorers were not that much in competition in French team given the exclusion of Benzema for several years. However, it had repercussions on Giroud and it was not without consequences.

“It was very unfair to me”

Pour First Team, Olivier Giroud was asked about his relationship with Karim Benzema following his punchline from karting and Formula 1. The current player of the Los Angeles FC then replied: “ We met again at the 2022 World Cup. Did we talk about it again? No, but I’m cool with it. I’ve already said it, it was very unfair for me at one point, before Euro 2016, when part of the public criticized me for his absence, when I scored a great goal in Nantes and afterwards I misses another, I go out, I have scored for my country and there are whistles. And L’Equipe the next day which headlines “the unloved” ».

“A difficult time”

« That hurt me because I had the impression of giving the maximum for my team, the jersey and there were always detractors. You can’t achieve unanimity, even the greatest always have detractors, but this was unfair. And it was a difficult time. I put on the warm-up blue and concentrated on the field. I had to turn around and go », continued Olivier Giroud.