Karim Benzema posts bizarre cryptic Instagram story

Karim Benzema appeared to respond to Lionel Messi’s crowing as The Best player by FIFA by posting a cryptic message on Instagram.

The Frenchman finished second in the voting, despite his heroics in the Champions League last season, behind the Argentine and ahead of France team-mate Kylian Mbappe. 

Posting a video on Instagram in the immediate aftermath of Messi winning the award, a man can be heard saying, in French, ‘Liar, yes, you liar.’

It was accompanied by the words ‘good night’ as a caption at the bottom of the video. 

It is not entirely clear as to why Benzema posted such a message, but his snub could prove as likely explanation as any. 

Having enjoyed perhaps the best calendar year of his career to date, Benzema was rewarded with his maiden Ballon d’Or crown in October 2022. 

The Frenchman’s remarkable 2021-22 campaign saw him lead Real Madrid to a Chamoions League and La Liga double, only the fourth time in their history that they have completed such a feat. 

His goals were instrumental as the Spanish giants navigated routes past Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City on their way to meeting Liverpool in the final.

Benzema came third behind Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe in last season’s golden shoe race, scoring a total of 27 goals across the season. His start to the 2022-23 campaign was blighted by a number of injuries, which also put an end to his World Cup hopes with France.

Messi was rewarded with the prize largely owing to his World Cup heroics, in which he scored seven goals as Argentina ended their 36-year hoodoo with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over France. 

Benzema has been known in the past to post cryptic messages to his social media accounts. 

Amid speculation towards the back end of the World Cup that he could make a sensational return to Didier Deschamps’ squad, with France not having called up a replacement when he was left out with injury, he posted a selfie alongside the caption: ‘It doesn’t interest me.’

The Frenchman was sent home from the World Cup having injured himself on the eve of the tournament. However, he swiftly recovered from his knock – sparking speculation that it was another bookmark in the difficult relationship between him and Deschamps.

For a long time, Benzema was not called up by the French national team amid a case of blackmail that hung over him related to his younger playing days.