Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has spoken at length of his return to the France squad.

It's been six years since he last played for France, but Benzema will now make a celebrated return for the summer's Euros.

Benzema said: "It was a very special day last Tuesday. I had a lot of hope. It showed that many were waiting for my return. And I was very, very happy with the call. I was at my home in Madrid. I received many messages throughout the morning. The buzz was increasing and it seemed like the event of the day. And I was waiting a long time in front of the television with my relatives and my parents on the phone."

Benzema also told L'Equipe about his relationship with France coach Didier Deschamps: "He explained it to me himself, of course. We talked a lot and said a lot to each other. Things we had to say to each other a long time ago.

"It was a good talk and there were important things. Today I am on the list, so the the discussion was good. We saw each other. We were face to face, it was not a telephone conversation. We had not seen each other since 2015, when I was last summoned. I always got along well with him and after three minutes, everything returned to normal.

"He said he would take me to the Eurocup. It was a long discussion between men, what we said will remain between us. We talked about everything: football, life, family ... What I got clear from the talk is that we would make a great step together."