Zidane says that Benzema wants to return to the French national squad

Record ID: 84974

  • Title: Zidane says that Benzema wants to return to the French national squad
  • Date: 3rd October 2016
  • Summary: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 3, 2016) (REUTERS) OLYMPIC STADIUM ENTRANCE IN LAUSANNE OLYMPIC STADIUM SIGN
  • Embargoed: 18th October 2016 19:34
  • Keywords: Zinedine Zidane Real Madrid
  • Location: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
  • City: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Soccer,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA00152GCTHB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane conducted a training session on Monday (October 3) in Lausanne with a group of teenagers from the canton de Vaud.
    Speaking ahead of the training session, Zidane said it was important for young football players to enjoy themselves on the pitch.
    "Thirteen, thirteen and a half, for me, it's important to have fun. To have fun being with friends and to have fun on the field. The end. They will have time after that for competition and all these things. Today, what I will do with them, I will show them one thing or two, but with the fun that they must have on a football field and they must share that with their friends", the Frenchman said.
    Zidane also said that Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema wants to return to the French national squad.
    Benzema was suspended indefinitely by the FFF in December 2015 after being put under formal investigation by a judge for an alleged plot to blackmail France team mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex video. Benzema denies any wrongdoing.
    He subsequently missed the European Championship finals on home soil in June and July.
    "I clearly see that Karim (Benzema) wants to be on the French national team again and he does everything, well, all his trainings, all his performances that he does, it is to be part of the French national team again, this is his wish. But I'm not the French national team coach and I respect the coach's choice for now. But it doesn't mean that Karim will never be on the French National team again, so he must continue to work and I hope his wish. Because he wants to be back on the French national team but above all, to do great performances for the Real and I'm more interested by that", Zidane said.
    The training with the youngsters took place in front of hundreds of spectators who turned out to see the French football star. It was planned for Zidane to sign autographs with the fans after training but the session was cancelled after a few people forced their way on the pitch to take selfies during training.
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