Impressive displays have earned Karim Benzema his long-awaited return to the France national team, after head coached named his 26-man squad for the EURO 2020 squad.
The 33-year-old Real Madrid striker has been in excellent form this season, scoring 22 goals in 33 appearances for the Spanish giants, along with providing 8 assists. With such potent firepower at their disposal, France now tops the latest football odds from Betfair, priced as 9/2 outright favourites to win the EURO 2020 tournament.
EURO 2020 will begin on 11th June 2021, with the final scheduled for 11th July at Wembley Stadium in London. The iconic venue in the British capital will also host both semi-finals. Should they reach that stage of the competition, that could prove advantageous for England, as websites offering free football tips and predictions recognize this could be a valuable edge for the Three Lions team.
The Bleus en route for the EURO! #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/HXo2upwgWa
— French Team (@FrenchTeam) May 18, 2021
Nevertheless, with Benzema back in the France squad, they are undoubtedly being regarded as the team to beat at EURO 2020. Beyond the impressive statistical numbers, Benzema is a key player at Real Madrid who contributes greatly to the team as a whole. His movement and positioning are those of a truly world-class forward, accompanied by exquisite passing precision and creative vision, which often go unheralded.
Focusing back towards his overall statistical contribution, Benzema has been directly involved in 34% of Real Madrid team goals in LaLiga this season. Data at whoscored.com also rates Benzema as the most consistent player in his team, producing an average match rating of 7.52 in 44 appearances, over all competitions during the 2020-21 campaign.
Despite not having featured for his national team since 2015, the vast experience and quality of Benzema will make him a vital addition, as France prepare to mount a serious bid to win EURO 2020. Should Les Bleus live up to their expectations, Benzema will undoubtedly be at the forefront of any success achieved by the team.
KB x KM pic.twitter.com/72smmr87f2
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) May 18, 2021
There was huge criticism from fans when Benzema wasn’t recalled to the French side, ahead of EURO 2016, which prompted the player to criticise national team boss Deschamps. He in turn suggested he would never forget that criticism, although it appears any problems with Benzema have now been resolved, much to the joy of supporters.
Portugal was the eventual winner of EURO 2016, narrowly beating France 1-0 in the final of the tournament they hosted. This ensured that Cristiano Ronaldo would claim his first-ever international title, having already swept up so many personal honours at his club sides. As fate would have it, both Portugal and France will compete in Group F at EURO 2020, alongside Hungary and Germany.
The current French national team boasts an embarrassment of riches, when it comes to attacking options. Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Kingsley Coman and Olivier Giroud are named in the EURO 2020 squad, alongside Ousmane Dembele, Wissam Ben Yedder and Marcus Thuram. The return of Benzema is the icing on the cake for Deschamps and France, adding yet more firepower to a team with clear expectations of winning the tournament.
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