Robert Pires says Karim Benzema deserves France call-up

Benzema has not featured for the two-time World Cup winners since 2015 after his alleged role in blackmailing countryman Mathiey Valbuena over a sex tape.

Benzema has been standout player for Los Blancos over last five years and Pires feels that form warrants a call-up, despite his the issues with Valbuena.

"It's a tricky issue, one that has created and continues to create a lot of debate in France," he told AS.

"I'm not really interested in whatever happened between him and [Mathieu] Valbuena, but given all that he has achieved and is achieving at Real Madrid, of course he deserves a France call-up.

Diego Costa - Brazil and Spain

Wilfried Zaha - England and Ivory Coast

Nacer Chadli - Belgium and Morocco

Declan Rice - Republic of Ireland and England

Thiago Motta - Brazil and Italy

Geoffrey Kondogbia - France and Central African Republic

Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez - Belgium and Morocco

Alex Bruce - Ireland and Northern Ireland

Mario Fernandes – Brazil and Russia

Jermaine Jones represented Germany and USA.

"He's one of the best strikers in Europe. But [France boss Didier] Deschamps has the final say."

Benzema notched up 81 appearance for the French national side, while scoring 27 goals in the process before his exile.