Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema could reportedly perform a U-turn on his decision to retire from the France team if Didier Deschamps is replaced by Zinedine Zidane.
The 35-year-old was expected to play a pivotal role for Les Bleus in Qatar, but he was forced to withdraw after sustaining a thigh injury during training just before the tournament.
Benzema apparently wanted to remain with the team to see how the injury evolved, as his three-week recovery period gave him a chance of being fit for the final, but Deschamps and team doctor Franck Le Gall sent him home.
Benzema returned to Real Madrid training before the final and would have been eligible for a recall, as Deschamps did not bring in a replacement for the striker after his withdrawal, but the France boss decided to stick with his 24-man squad.
Following Les Bleus' loss to Argentina in the final, Benzema took to Instagram to announce his retirement from international football amid reports of another falling-out with Deschamps.
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"I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I'm proud of it! I wrote my story and ours is coming to an end," Benzema wrote in an apparent confirmation of his international retirement.
However, Foot Mercato claims that Benzema could have a change of heart if Deschamps leaves to be replaced by Zidane, who worked with the striker during their time together at Real Madrid.
Deschamps's contract with the World Cup runners-up only lasts until the end of the calendar year, and he will meet with FFF chiefs in the New Year to discuss his next steps.
Zidane has been out of management since ending his second spell at Real Madrid in 2021, and it is believed that the 50-year-old has been holding out for the chance to manage his country.
Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have both been linked with Zidane since the Frenchman's second exit from the Santiago Bernabeu, but his dream move to international management may not quite come to fruition.
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A separate report from L'Equipe states that Deschamps could stay on as France manager for the 2026 World Cup, having impressed the powers-that-be with his side's performances in Qatar.
As a result, Zidane would not be willing to wait around for another four years and could open the door to managing a club team again, but he is in no rush to make a decision on his future.
Benzema retired from international duty with 37 goals and 20 assists to show from 97 matches in a France jersey, despite being exiled from the team for six years between 2015 and 2021.
The Real Madrid striker was cut from the ranks amid a scandal involving alleged blackmailing of teammate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape, and he was found guilty of conspiring to blackmail in November 2021.
Before his conviction, Benzema was brought back into the fray for France's Euro 2020 campaign, and he won one major international trophy with Les Bleus in the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League.
Ben Knapton
