Karim Djaziri defends Karim Benzema over anthem controversy

Karim Benzema never sang the French national anthem during his international career, a decision that his former agent, Karim Djaziri, defended in comments discussed on RMC.

The Defense on the Riolo Club Podcast

Speaking on the RMC podcast Riolo Club, Karim Djaziri addressed the long-standing controversy surrounding Karim Benzema and the French national anthem, La Marseillaise. Djaziri, who managed the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner for nearly 15 years, argued that the debate over whether players sing the anthem is secondary to competitive success on the pitch. According to lefigaro.fr, the former agent questioned whether a player who remains silent during the anthem desires victory any less than someone who shouts it loudly, emphasizing that players enter the pitch with singular focus on winning the match.

The discussion on the podcast turned contentious when journalist Daniel Riolo challenged that viewpoint. Riolo argued on the program that Benzema could have deflected widespread public criticism if he had simply sung the anthem, suggesting that doing so would have denied his critics ammunition. Djaziri rejected that premise, telling the podcast that Benzema could not win regardless of his actions and asserting that political interpretations and hostile critics unfairly targeted the striker throughout his international career, as noted by lefigaro.fr.

Inside the ‘Le K Benzema’ Documentary

The debate over the anthem resurfaced following details from the Canal+ documentary “Le K Benzema,” where the forward addressed the subject directly. Karim Benzema explained in a film that singing La Marseillaise should be entirely optional and based on personal desire. He stated that if mandatory participation had been enforced during his first call-up to the French national team, he would have complied, but maintained that personal choice dictates his silence. In the same documentary, rapper Booba also defended the player, remarking that athletes are compensated for playing football rather than singing, as reported by babalweb.net.

Prior Comments and Historical Precedent

Throughout his international career, Karim Benzema’s refusal to sing the anthem was shared by other players such as Michel Platini, as noted in source reports.