Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema has announced his retirement from international football, a day after France lost the World Cup final to Argentina.

Benzema played 97 times for France and scored 37 goals. He had to leave the World Cup team before their first game in Qatar because he hurt his left thigh in training.

The 35-year-old Real Madrid forward surprised everyone by saying on Twitter: “I worked hard and made mistakes to get where I am now, and I am proud of that. I finished my story, and so does ours.”

Benzema won the Ballon d’Or in October, which is given to the best player in the world. He was desperate to play in this year’s World Cup because he wasn’t on France’s team when they won the World Cup in Russia four years ago.

He was banned from the France team for five and a half years because of a blackmail scandal involving a sextape and his former teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

In a trial about the affair that took place last year, he was given a suspended sentence of one year in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($79,500).

Didier Deschamps didn’t add anyone to the team that included Kylian Mbappe, who is 23 years old, for the World Cup in Qatar.

Mbappe, a forward for Paris Saint-Germain, won the World Cup Golden Boot award with eight goals, including a hat-trick in Sunday’s loss to Argentina in a penalty shootout after the game ended 3-3 after extra time.

During the tournament, Benzema posted both encouraging messages for France on social media and more cryptic ones. Before the final, he wrote on Instagram, “I’m not interested.”

After he turned down an invite from French President Emmanuel Macron to go to the World Cup final, he sent that message.

Benzema scored on his first game as a professional in March 2007 against Austria. His only title with France was the 2021 Nations League, which was not a big deal.

He had many problems with Deschamps over the years. At one point, the Algerian-born player gave the impression that the France coach was being “racist” by not letting him play.

He surprised everyone by coming back to the France team right before Euro 2021. He scored ten goals in a year, including four at the European Championship, but France still lost in the last 16 to Switzerland.

Benzema has helped Real Madrid win four Spanish titles and five Champions League titles.