Karim Benzema Left Out Of France Squad

France head coach, Didier Deschamp, has dropped Real Madrid forward, Karim Benzema, from the French squad that will face Holland and Russia ahead of Euro 2016.

Benzema last featured for the Les Bleus in October during a friendly game against Armenia, after which he

was questioned by police in connection with an alleged attempt by one of his friends to blackmail his international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape.

A restriction ordering the 28-year-old striker not to have any contact with Valbuena was lifted last week, clearing the way for him to be included in the squad, though his potential selection had faced widespread opposition.

The Lyon midfielder Valbuena has also been left out although that was less surprising, his form having dipped this season.

The ill wind for Valbuena proved favourable for one of the biggest success stories of the Premier League season, the Leicester midfielder N’Golo Kanté who was called into the squad for the first time, with Didier Deschamps also bringing in another Premier League midfielder, West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet.

The uncapped Kanté’s elevation came on the same day as his similarly uncapped Leicester team-mate Danny Drinkwater was called into the England squad, marking a double celebration for the top-of the-table Midlands side. Kanté took the place of Manchester United’s Morgan Schneiderlin in Deschamps’ squad.

Deschamps said: “It’s not that I don’t have confidence in Morgan, I know what he can do, but before making final decisions [on the Euro 2016 squad] it’s important that N’Golo comes with us to get more answers.”

Benzema’s lawyer has previously protested his innocence, saying: “He played no part, I repeat no part, in any blackmail or attempted blackmail,” but Deschamps has passed up the opportunity to bring him back into the squad, perhaps feeling the political heat.

France’s sports minister, Patrick Kanner, had suggested it was too soon to recall the 81-cap frontman insisting “human values must be taken into consideration”.

The prime minister, Manuel Valls, echoed that call by telling Radio Monte Carlo: “The conditions for Karim Benzema to return to the France team have not been met at the moment.

“He is still under investigation. At the same time, though, it is the decision of the French Football Federation.”

He wrote: “12 seasons I have been a professional: 541 matches played, 0 red cards, 11 yellow cards!!! And certain people question the example I set???”

Franck Ribéry, who announced his retirement from international football in 2014having been forced to miss the World Cup with a back injury, was another notable absentee, although Deschamps appeared in no hurry to try and make him reverse his decision.

The coach described talk of his return as “not relevant’” adding: “Do not go too fast. But I’m happy for him, he found the pleasure he has not had for months.”

France squad to play friendlies against Holland and Russia

Lloris, Mandanda, Costil, Sagna, Jallet, Evra, Digne, Varane, Koscielny, Sakho, Mathieu, Pogba, Matuidi, Lassana Diarra, Sissoko, Kanté, Cabaye, Griezmann, Martial, Giroud, Coman, Gignac, Payet. TheGurdian