France squad: I adore him – Zidane speaks on Benzema’s return

France head coach, Zinedine Zidane, has ruled out a return to the national team for former Real Madrid captain, Karim Benzema.

Zidane, who admitted that he adores Benzema, insisted he is focused on younger players.

The 54-year-old had named his squad for the September international break, where France will face Turkey and Belgium in UEFA Nations League fixtures.

When questioned about the possibility of Benzema rejoining the squad, Zidane told the media ahead of his first matches in charge of France, “I spent extraordinary years with him in Madrid. I adore him. He has played for France.”

“Right now, I need to see younger players with the national team,” he said.

Benzema’s last match for Les Bleus was in a Nations League clash against Croatia in 2022.