Ballon D'Or winner Karim Benzema announced he was ending his international career on Monday, the day after France lost the World Cup final to Argentina.

Benzema, who scored 37 goals in 97 appearances for France, had to withdraw from the World Cup squad before their first match in Qatar due to a left thigh injury he suffered in training.

In his surprise announcement, the 35-year-old Real Madrid forward said on Twitter: "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 ends."

Benzema, who won the Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player in October, had been desperate to feature in this year's World Cup having not been selected when France became world champions in Russia four years ago.

He was frozen out of the France team for five and a half years because of his involvement in a blackmail scandal over a sextape involving his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

Read the full story on sportsdesk.com.mt

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