Karim Benzema was forced to leave the pitch with a dead leg on Tuesday as world champions France beat Bulgaria 3-0 in their final friendly one week before beginning their Euro 2020 campaign.
Benzema was taken off in the 39th minute at the Stade De France in what is France’s last match before they take on Germany in their opening Group F match of the European Championship against Germany on June 15.
France also face reigning European champions Portugal and Hungary, who will play two of their group matches in front of big crowds at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
The 33-year-old Benzema had been recalled with great fanfare to the national team following a near six-year exile, but his replacement Olivier Giroud showed why Les Bleus are considered among the favourites for trophy with a late brace which took his France total to 46.
Giroud, 34, is now just five goals behind France’s all-time top scorer Thierry Henry but will likely be sidelined when Benzema returns.
“When people call on me, the most important thing is to do the job,” Giroud told broadcaster M6. “I had good service from my teammates. They know where I’m going to be in the box so I just tried to finish well.”
