English
French footballer Karim Benzema has taken a pop at countryman Olivier Giroud, drawing an unflattering comparison between the duo.
Benzema was replaced by Giroud in the France football in 2015 by manager Didier Deschamps who then went on the win the FIFA World Cup title in 2018.
Benzema has now apparently labelled Giroud an inferior player during an Instagram live video interaction with French actor and comedian Thomas N’Gijol.
“This won’t take long,” Benzema told N’Gijol. “You don’t confuse F1 with go karting. And I’m being kind. Next… and I know i’m F1.”
“It works because he’s there. That’s all. It’s not going to be spectacular, it’s not going to be anything crazy but in his way you see more of a (Antoine) Griezmann or (Kylian) Mbappe because he will put the work in. Does everyone like that way of playing? I don’t know,” he added.
After making debut in 2007, the 32-year-old Benzema scored 27 goals and 18 assists while in 81 matches for the French national team. He was dropped after 2015 with his last match being against Armenia when he scored two goals.
His involvement in a scandal where he was alleged to have blackmailed a former teammate following a dispute.
Giroud has scored 39 goals and 10 assists in a total of 97 appearances for France and played an integral role in their second ever world cup title win held in Russia.
However, at the club level, they have contrasting fortunes.
While Benzema continues to be an intrinsic member of Real Madrid, having been involved in 20 goals with 14 to his name while assisting the rest in the 2019-20 season so far.
On the other hand, Giroud, 33, has made just nine appearances for Chelsea and managed two goals in them.
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