What They're Saying: Didier Deschamps

• by Soccer America , May 19, 2021

"I've already faced difficult situations with other players. But the French team doesn't belong to me. France is above everything else. I cannot say what we spoke about, but the most important thing is that he's back and we've reached this decision by speaking."

-- French national team coach Didier Deschamps on recalling Real Madrid star Karim Benzema for the European Championship after leaving the 33-year-old forward out of his squad for almost six years because of a “sex tape" scandal in which he faces criminal charges of taking part in the attempted blackmail of former France teammate Matthieu Valbuena. Then-French prime minister Manuel Valls said Benzema, who was born in Lyon to parents of Algerian descent, had no place in the national team, and the forward accused Deschamps of giving in to pressure from racists by not including him in the Bleus' squad for Euro 2016 in France. After Benzema's comments, Deschamps' residence was tagged with offensive graffiti. Benzema's case will go to trial in October. (TF1 in French)