Big Blow For France As Benzema Misses World Cup With Thigh Injury

By

 


Defending champion France have suffered a major blow ahead of the World Cup after its star striker Karim Benzema was ruled out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Saturday.

Benzema teared a muscle in his left thigh during training on Saturday.

An MRI scan later confirmed a rectus femoris tendon injury, which means the 34-year-old faces a three-week recovery period.

Benzema confirmed his withdrawal in an Instagram post.

“I’ve never given up in my life but tonight I have to think of the team, as I have always done,” he said. “So reason tells me to give my place to someone who can help our squad have a great World Cup. Thanks for all your messages of support.”

This will be the first time since 1978, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner will not feature in the World Cup with the injury also coming three days to France’s World Cup opener against Australia.

France head coach Didier Deschamps said: “I am extremely sad for Karim who made this World Cup a major goal. Despite this new blow for the French team, I have full confidence in my group. We will do everything to meet the huge challenge that awaits us.”

The World Cup holders are already without Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté as they begin their title defence against Australia on Tuesday.

Deschamps has until Monday to call up a replacement for Benzema, with the Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder one option.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nigerians Face New Financial Strain As Moniepoint, Opay And Others Impose N50 Electronic Money Transfer Levy

By
Image
  There are more burdens on Nigerians as Moniepoint, Opay and other Fintech banks and financial services have imposed fresh N50 charges known as Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), on customers. It was gathered that the customers of Moniepoint and Opay will start paying the charges from September 9, 2024, according to a recent notice by the banks. The new levy is in addition to the recent Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) pump price hike to N855 and N897 by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited retail outlets. The  development means Nigerians using Opay and Moniepoint will have to pay N50 charges for any electronic transactions of N10,000 and above. The Fintech companies blamed the charges on a directive from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). In a terse notification to its customers on Saturday, Moniepoint wrote: “A  N50 fee would be charged on inflows you receive of N10,000 and above from Monday, September 9, 2024. Your BRM is available to answer questions you might have
Read more

“Why I’m Yet To Give Birth To A Child” – Obaseki's Wife Replies Oshiomhole

By
Image
  Betsy Obaseki, the wife of the Governor of Edo State, has revealed that she is yet to have a child because she experienced miscarriages, painful stillbirths, and evacuations of babies who died in her womb. Obaseki revealed this on Saturday while comforting childless women during a Zoom meeting with Edo women in the diaspora. Her remarks served as a poignant response to a viral video featuring Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s unsavory comments regarding her own childless state. Obaseki encouraged childless women to reframe their perceptions and regard themselves as veritable vessels of fruitfulness, replete with potential and proud mothers of progeny who shall arrive in the fullness of time, as ordained by the Divine Providence. Addressing a gathering of over 200 women, who had convened from far-flung corners of the globe, Obaseki reminded her audience that every individual has been created by the Almighty for a purpose that transcends the mundane. Obaseki said,  “My words of comfort to you
Read more

American Government Approves Elon Musk’s Neuralink Brain Chip That Could Restore The Sight

By
Image
  A  new experimental brain implantation device, Blindsight, designed to restore vision has been awarded the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ‘breakthrough device’ designation. The device was created by Elon Musk’s brain chip company, Neuralink, which specialises in developing a brain-chip interface that can be implanted within the skull. Blindsight is designed to allow individuals who have lost both eyes and optic nerves to regain sight. On Tuesday, in a post made on X announcing the new development, Elon Musk said Blindsight can help blind people regain their sight as long as their virtual cortex is still intact. He said, “The Blindsight device from Neuralink will enable even those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see. He said: “Provided the visual cortex is intact, it will even enable those who have been blind from birth to see for the first time. “To set expectations correctly, the vision will at first be low resolution, like Atari graphics, but eventually it
Read more

[PHOTOS] EDO ELECTION: Mercy Johnson’s Husband, Prince Henry Okojie ‘Escapes Assassination’

By
Image
A  federal lawmaker representing the Esan North-East/Esan South-East Federal Constituency in Edo State, Prince Henry Odianosen Okojie has reportedly escaped an assassination attempt. Okojie, the husband of the Nollywood movie Star, Mercy Johnson, was reportedly attacked by armed men suspected to be political thugs at his residence in Uromi on Friday morning. Okojie’s media aide, Michael Ihaza, confirmed the development in a statement. According to the statement, the attackers invaded the lawmaker’s residence with a Lexus GX 470 carrying a Rivers State vehicle registration number – PHC 253 FF. According to the statement, the planned assassination “was unsuccessful owing to the intervention of security personnel attached to the lawmaker”. “The armed thugs who disguised as police officers along with two others, invaded the residence of Hon. Okojie, claimed to be on appointment and proceeded to the seating room. “Following the intervention of the security personnel attached to the lawmaker
Read more

Yahoo Boy Bags 2-Year Jail Term For Impersonating Flavour N’abania, Defrauding US Citizen

By
Image
  The  Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced one Courage Ikpaka to two years imprisonment for duping a United States citizen, Mrs Yvelte M. Thompson of $53,000 by impersonating Nigerian musician, Chinedu Okoli popularly known as Flavour N’abania. Justice   Dehinde Dipeolu convicted Ikpaka on Tuesday following his guilty plea to a two-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Prosecution counsel, Suleiman Suleiman, led EFCC investigator Azibagiri Dan Ekpar in evidence against the defendant. The witness told the court that Ikpaka impersonated Flavour by pledging to organise shows in the United States of America and receiving payment through his Bitcoin wallets. Ekpar  explained that the EFCC got wind of the fraud following a petition written by one Eyitayo Tolulope Abiodun and others on behalf of the victim. “We invited Flavour who honoured the invitation and claimed innocence of the allegations. Upon investigation, we discovered that on
Read more

Nigerian Nurse Who Left Her Infant To Die While On Duty Caught At Airport Trying To Flee UK, Jailed For Three Years

By
Image
  A Nigerian nurse, identified as Ruth Auta has been sentenced to three years in jail for causing the death of her ten-week-old baby. The nurse was sentenced by Bolton Crown Court in the UK. It was gathered that the Nigerian woman left the deceased baby Joshua Akerele in her nurse's accommodation for eight hours so she could work her shift on December 20, 2022. The nurse was said to be a single mother, aged 28. When she returned to her room, she found Joshua lifeless in his cot and dialled 999, telling operators her son was not breathing. Akerele was later confirmed dead an hour later with tests showing he may have 'overheated' due to the layers of clothing and bedding he was wrapped in. Initially, Auta informed the authorities that she had picked up Joshua from the childminder after her work shift, brought him home, fed him dinner, laid him on her bed, and then drifted off to sleep beside him. Auta alleged that upon waking, she discovered Joshua unresponsive. However, duri
Read more

BALLON D’OR 2024: Full List Of Nominees

By
Image
  France F ootball, the organizers of the Ballon d’Or awards, have unveiled the nominees for this year’s edition. The  list contains expected names like Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Kylian Mbappe (PSG/ Real Madrid). Vinicius Jr is believed to the hot favourite to win the prize. Inter  Miami’s Lionel Messi, the current holder and eight-time winner, does not make the cut. Full list of 2024 Ballon d’Or nominees: 1. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) 2. Phil Foden (Manchester City) 3. Ruben Dias (Manchester City) 4. Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) 5. Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) 6. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) 7. Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao) 8. Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen) 9. Artem Dovbik (Roma) 10.Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) 11.Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid) 12.Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig/Barcelona) 13.Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) 14.Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) 15.Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund) 16.Rodri (Manchester City) 17.Harr
Read more