French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says there is no place for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema in the France team in the wake of the blackmail scandal surrounding him.
The 27-year-old was charged with conspiracy to blackmail last month as part of an investigation into an attempt to extort money from international team mate Matieu Valbuena using a sex tape featuring the Lyon man.
Benzema has also made the headlines in the past for a number of wrong reasons, normally involving traffic and speeding offences.
France host the European Championships next summer and Benzema has, up until now, been the main figurehead in Didier Deschamp’s side.
But speaking to French radio Europe1, Valls said playing for Les Bleus means behaving in a certain way on and off the field as thousands of youngsters look up to their heroes.
“A great athlete should be exemplary. If he is not, he has no place within the France team. If a minister was handed preliminary charges, he would no longer be part of the government,” he said.
And he added: “There are so many kids, so many youngsters in our suburbs that relate to great athletes. They wear the blue jersey, the colours of France, which are so important in these moments.”
