Kylian Mbappé helped France win the World Cup four years ago, becoming a superstar in the process. This time, the tournament could serve as a welcome escape from the pressures of Paris Saint-Germain, and also a chance to play in his favorite position.
For Karim Benzema, it’s an opportunity to showcase the talent that led him to winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or at nearly 35 years old.
Their paths to Qatar have greatly diverged.
When the 19-year-old Mbappé scored in the World Cup final four years ago, he was the youngest player since Pelé in 1958 to score in the deciding match. Benzema was nowhere close to Moscow at the time because the Real Madrid forward was exiled from the national team.
Although they played together at last year’s European Championship, Benzema was only just coming back with Les Bleus and things didn’t quite click between them.
They’ve since shown how effective they are in tandem — sharing six goals
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