Ru'ya Careers UAE 2024 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Z6-4 platform, from September 24 to 26
Blanc, who took over as coach from Raymond Domenech last month, named 13 newcomers in his first squad which did not include the 23 World Cup players suspended for one match by the France Football Federation following the team’s boycott of a training session and first-round exit at the tournament.
Blanc called up Benzema against the wishes of sports minuster Roselyne Bachelot, who said the striker and World Cup player Franck Ribery, also under investigation, should not represent France.
‘My answer is in the squad list and it’s a clear and precise answer,’ Blanc told a news conference on Thursday.
‘Karim’s private life is none of my business. My job is to take decisions that regard sport. I think Karim has the qualities to enter the core of France team,’ he added.
Benzema has denied any wrongdoing and Ribery’s lawyer has said the Bayern Munich player did not know the girl at the centre of the probe was under 18 at the time.
Blanc has still to chose a captain for the match in Oslo on Aug. 11.
‘There are a lot players without international experience in the squad and that will reduce my choice. I want to take time to look for someone who has enough character and above all the spirit and the mentality to assume the responsability,’ he said.
Midfielder Lassana Diarra and Benzema are the most capped players in the squad, both with 27 to their name.
The core of the squad comes from the generation who won the under-17 European championship in 2004 and includes several players from the victorious team — Samir Nasri, Benzema, Jeremy Menez (AS Roma) and Hatem Ben Arfa (Marseille).
‘Even I had been in a position to select the 23 (World Cup players), I think some of the players I named today would have been on the list,’ Blanc said.
‘There are a lot of players who will celebrate their first cap. I think it’s a good thing and I hope they will take it with a lot joy, a lot of pride and a lot of motivation.’
However, Blanc added a lot of things could change before he decides on a squad for France’s first Euro 2012 qualifier against Belarus on Sept. 3.
‘Pending the result of the inquiry ordered by the French Federation on the events in South Africa, I have no information about the players who will be available,’ he said.
Squad:
Defence: Aly Cissokho, Mathieu Debuchy, Rod Fanni, Philippe Mexes, Adil Rami, Mamadou Sakho, Benoit Tremoulinas.
Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye, Lassama Diara, Blaise Matuidi, Yann Mvila, Samir Nasri, Charles N’Zogbia, Moussa Sissoko.
Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Benzema, Jimmy Briand, Guillaume Hoarau, Jeremy Menez, Loic Remy.
Ru'ya Careers UAE 2024 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Z6-4 platform, from September 24 to 26
Recently, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo, made history and became the first men's football player to score 900 career goals
The festival will run until September 27 at five key metro stations: Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, BurJuman, Union, and DMCC from 5pm to 10pm
Verstappen leads Norris by 59 points in the championship with seven rounds remaining
A strike on Hezbollah's stronghold in Lebanon's capital Beirut on Friday killed eight people and wounded dozens of others
He will take part in the sixth Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, which is being hosted by US President Joe Biden
The event will be held at the Ski Dubai Hall in the Mall of the Emirates at 6am
India are looking to extend their lead at the top of the World Test Championship rankings as they begin a fresh Test season of 10 matches