World Cup winner Bixente Lizarazu says Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was wrong to criticise Chelsea veteran Olivier Giroud.

Benzema made a controversial comment about former French teammate Giroud. Benzema had a dig at the Chelsea forward, who has been selected ahead of him in the French squad since 2015.

"You don't confuse F1 with go karting. And I'm being kind. Next... and I know I'm F1," he infamously stated.

Lizarazu says Giroud didn't deserve the swipe.

"What he does in Madrid is extraordinary, and he can't do it with the Blues. But Giroud is paying the price (for Benzema's frustration), and he has nothing to do with it," he said.