Title defenders France most hard done by injuries

Injuries and controversies have been a theme of this edition of the World Cup in Qatar, and while casting aside the controversies remain a choice for players and teams, nothing much can be done regarding the former.

And as it stands, defending champions France are the side who have been the most hard done by injuries as a total of five French players' World Cup hopes have now been diminished due to injuries with the Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema being the latest to be sidelined.

In fact, Benzema is only the third player to be missing out on the World Cup as the reigning Ballon d'Or holder. Argentina's Alfredo Di Stefano was the first in this regard, missing the 1958 World Cup in Sweden before Alan Simonsen of Denmark had to sit out the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

The 34-year-old Real Madrid striker had been struggling with the injury for some time and had played less than half an hour of football in his club's last six games before the World Cup.

On Saturday, he took part in full training for the first time since the World Cup holders gathered last week ahead of the tournament.

He was forced to withdraw from the session at the home stadium of Qatari champions Al Sadd with an injured left thigh and was taken for tests.

The French Football Federation (FFF) later said in a statement that the injury "will require a recovery period of three weeks", ruling out any prospect of him being fully fit for the tournament which finishes on December 18.

However, France coach Didier Deschamps said on Sunday that he will not announce any replacements for the star forward.

Deschamps told France's TF1 that although the Benzema setback was "not nice", he was confident in the depth of his squad.

"But we have an objective and we have a quality squad with players who know what awaits them. I have confidence in them."

Deschamps also brushed away questions about the French team's handling of Benzema who had been nursing an injury for the past month.

"I know that you're looking for controversy," he said. "But everything is under control, (the inury) was not even caused by him accelerating or shooting.

France have had to deal with injuries the most, with 2018 World Cup winners Paul Pogba, N'golo Kante and Prensel Kimpembe alongside Boubacar Kamara unavailable for selection due to injuries while in-form forward Christopher Nkuku was forced out of the squad due to a leg injury last week. 

Manchseter United defender Raphael Varane was also a doubt for France's opening game against Australia on Tuesday. However, Deschamps later said he was cleared to start

Varane has been sidelined with injury since October 22 but trained with the team for the first time on Saturday.