Benzema refuses to sing national anthem

Real Madrid striker claims spark criticism from the French press.

French international Karim Benzema has become a source of annoyance for the French public lately as the forward claimed he will not sing the national anthem whilst on international duty. Despite the 25-year-old insisting that his decision has nothing to do with his feelings towards the country but merely a personal preference, the player’s comments caused harsh criticism from the media.

“I do not have to sing the national anthem,” Benzema told the press. “Nor does it mean I do not like the national anthem any more or less. I have never sung it in my life and I will not do so now. By not doing so, this will not prevent me from scoring a hat-trick.“

The player referred to the example of Zidane who also did not perform the national anthem in the team.

“I love the national team, and I do not understand how anyone can question that. It’s a dream to represent France, but nobody is going to force me to sing. I do not see what the problem is. Zidane, for example, never sang it. In the stadium, there are fans who do not sing it. The important thing is that we are all united.”