Karim Benzema believes France took too long to get going in their 1-0 FIFA World Cup™ quarter-final defeat by Germany.
Mats Hummels' 13th-minute header was enough for the Germans to book a semi-final clash with hosts Brazil, but Benzema feels that the French could have been the ones progressing if they had created more chances early on.
"We are disappointed that the adventure stops there. We gave everything, but we couldn't score," he told L'Equipe. "The first period was quite difficult, we didn't have enough attempts for my taste. We had more in the second half, they were endangered, but they have a very good goalkeeper."
Prior to that defeat, France had won over many neutrals by playing attractive football as they breezed through Group E and also dispatched Nigeria comfortably 2-0 in the Round of 16.
Real Madrid striker Benzema also proved himself on the biggest stage of all, contributing three goals and two assists as he and Paul Pogba laid the foundations for Didier Deschamps' side to surprise the naysayers.
"I'm happy even though I would have liked to help the team go further. Nevertheless, we can be proud of ourselves," he added. "Do not forget that this is one of the best teams in the world and not one of us had played in the quarter-finals of the World Cup."
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