Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has said he is already looking forward to the next World Cup in Russia and wants to still be part of the France squad then.
Les Blues lost 1-0 to Germany in the quarter-finals in Brazil yesterday, and after some exciting displays until then, the performance against Joachim Low’s side was insipid and uninspiring.
But speaking to the press afterward, Benzema said a number of factors affected the way France played, particularly the heat. And he questioned why the footballing authorities would make the players play at 1pm local time, when the temperature was 28 degrees at kick-off.
However, despite the loss, the 26-year-old said he was happy with how Les Bleus had performed overall. They managed 10 goals along the way and won three of their matches – a marked improvement from 2010 when they were sent packing in the first round and even went on strike after most of the squad fell out with former boss Raymond Domenech.
Benzema stated: “I’m happy we made it this far. I’m young enough to play in another World Cup.”
The former Lyon man, who helped Los Blancos to success in the Copa del Rey and Champions League last season, will now take a break before turning his attention to the new campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu.
