The French star did not take the field in the World Cup because of an injury, yet his name remained on the 26-man roster announced by Didier Deschamps and he would still be legally recognized as part of the championship squad.
Karim Benzema could not participate in Qatar 2022. The Real Madrid forward sustained an injury days before the tournament began and did not play a single minute for the French national team. Even with his absence, France managed to push for the world title, and if the team succeeded, Benzema could still receive a symbolic recognition for being part of the squad and failing to take the pitch.
Why Benzema could be considered a world champion with France despite not playing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Once the injury was confirmed, Benzema chose not to stall the process or push for an early return. He gave Deschamps room to make decisions promptly rather than speculating about a possible recovery. Deschamps, however, opted to keep faith with a group of 25 players and did not finalize the expanded roster to 26.
His situation stood apart from some other injured teammates. For instance, N’Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba were not even registered due to their injuries, while Christopher Nkunku remained on the list but was injured and officially replaced by Randal Kolo Muani, with another player taking the spot. This is how Benzema remained on the official FIFA roster for the tournament, eligible to be crowned world champion by virtue of formal inclusion even without playing a match. The only other French player who did not take the field in Qatar was the third-choice goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola, as Deschamps fielded the rest of the squad in the final group-stage match against Tunisia when there was little at stake.
Whether Benzema could attend the hypothetical final on December 18 to watch the proceedings live in Qatar remained unconfirmed, but the French Football Federation planned to present medals to all 26 players, with the last unassigned medal likely to go to the Lyon-born striker.
Qatari 2022 could mark the final chapter of Benzema’s World Cup journey. Notably, he had previously missed out on lifting the trophy with France in 2018 after a dispute related to an off-field matter involving Mathieu Valbuena. Even though he did not step onto the field in Qatar, his name would still stand in the record books as a world champion—one of the rare honors he did not physically claim during his illustrious career.
This portrayal reflects how a player’s formal status on a World Cup squad can count toward a team achievement. The official designation rests on the roster rather than on participation in matches, meaning Benzema’s inclusion kept him tied to France’s title-winning campaign in the eyes of FIFA and fans alike, even if he never wore the national jersey in a World Cup match. The broader narrative highlights how injury, timing, and team management intersect at the highest levels of sport, shaping how champions are recognized long after the final whistle.