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Real Madrid's Karim Benzema is reportedly a doubt for France's World Cup opener, having missed the last three La Liga matches with muscular fatigue in his left thigh.

Karim Benzema is reportedly a doubt for France's World Cup opener against Australia in Qatar due to muscular fatigue in his left thigh.

Benzema, 34, has missed the last three La Liga games but has still featured 12 times this season whilst managing six goals and one assist in all competitions.

Nevertheless, according to Get French Football News, the French national team staff "do not believe that Benzema will be fit in time to start" in Les Bleus' opening match against Australia in the World Cup.

France's manager Didier Deschamps is already missing key players for the tournament, with Chelsea's N'Golo Kante and Juventus' Paul Pogba already ruled out.

The Ballon d'Or winner has 37 goals in 97 games for his country, but he did not feature when France lifted their second World Cup back in 2018.

Benzema had endured a six-year absence from the national team due to his involvement in a sex tape extortion scandal.

Since then, he has re-established himself as a key player for France, starting all four of their European Championships games last summer.

Deschamps can also call on the experience of Olivier Giroud, who is the country's second highest scorer of all time with 49, just two behind Thierry Henry.

France kick off their World Cup campaign against Australia on November 22, before facing Denmark and then Tunisia in Group D.

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