Real Madrid star forward Karim Benzema has been named in France's 26-man squad for the Euro 2020 championship tournament after a nearly six years absence on national duty.
Benzema has not featured for his country ever since 2015 as a result of his alleged involvement in an attempted blackmail case involving an ex-France team-mate.
The 33-year-old, missed France's Euro 2016 action and the 2018 World Cup win as a result of the allegations.
In January 2021 French prosecutors announced Benzema would face trial in a case which he is accused of blackmailing fellow France teammate by paying individuals to extort money from midfielder Mathieu Valbuena by threatening to make a sex tape public in 2015,the striker however argues a police officer used dishonest methods to draw him into the situation.
The Frenchman has scored 27 goals in 81 appearances for Les Bleus, including a brace in his last outing for the national team during a 4-0 friendly win over Armenia.
He has been one of Real Madrid's standout players this season, netting 29 goals - including 11 in 10 games - and providing eight assists in all major competitions that the Spanish Giants took part in.
Benzema was recently voted the best French player playing abroad by France's National Union of Professional Football Players as he has been successful with the Spanish Club which he features in for the 12th season.
The striker joins the already impressive attacking options of Paris St-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann when Euro 2020 kicks off on June 11.
Les Bleus made it to the final of the European tournament on home soil in 2016 but were thrashed by Portugal at extra-time.The world cup champions will be expected to begin their Euro 2020 campaign against Germany on June 15.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Mike Maignan (Losc), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Everton), Leo Dubois (Lyon), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Jules Kounde (Sevilla), Clement Lenglet (Barcelona), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea)
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Monchengladbach)