Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been recalled to the France squad for the first time since 2015 after being named in Didier Deschamps’ selection for the upcoming UEFA European Championship.

Benzema was forced into international exile by Deschamps in 2015 after being implicated in a scandal involving Mathieu Valbuena, in which he will face trial on accusations of attempting to blackmail his former teammate with an alleged sex tape.

He has consistently denied the allegations made against him, but that was seemingly not enough to see him return to the 2018 World Cup winners, for whom he scored 27 goals in 81 appearances prior to being expelled.

However, there has been a change of heart within the national team camp that has resulted in Benzema being recalled for Deschamps’ 26-man squad for the 2020 UEFA European Championship, which is set to commence next month.