Mercurial French star admits link to alleged extortion attempt

French soccer's hope that troubled star Karim Benzema had turned a corner and could finally deliver on his potential appeared in tatters on Thursday as he admitted involvement in an alleged extortion case.

Before last year's World Cup, Benzema was lauded for his new-found maturity and responsibility and touted as a changed man who could be a leader and ambassador for his national team.

His difficult past included the accusation that he had paid for sex with an underage prostitute in 2008, but a court dropped the charges in January 2014.

But having seemingly put that affair behind him, Benzema has failed to leave his scandal-tainted history in the past.

Only last month he was caught driving without a valid licence in Madrid, while two years ago he was fined $19,600 and had his licence revoked for speeding.

This latest incident could be the most damaging yet for Benzema's reputation.

Having admitted to helping a childhood friend negotiate between blackmailers and Benzema's France international teammate Mathieu Valbuena in order to extort money, Benzema's standing is set to hit a new low.

Whereas in the past he could be excused for youthful naivety, at 27 years of age such a justification now looks paper thin.

The talented forward will find it harder than ever to escape from the shackles of doubt and suspicion that have always accompanied him.

Born in Lyon to a family with Algerian roots, Benzema was just 19 when he made his France debut in 2007..

Two years later he earned a mega-money move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, where he still plays, and many believed he had the world at his feet.

But the potholes have been numerous and regular on his path, from a professional as well as personal standpoint.

Arrogant

Named French player of the year three times (2011, 2012, 2014), Benzema was the Ligue 1 top scorer and player of the year in 2008, and has won numerous trophies with both Real and his hometown club, Lyon. But he has often been accused of a poor attitude.

After France's disastrous Euro 2008 campaign, international teammate William Gallas criticized Benzema for being arrogant.

The underage sex scandal broke in 2010, after which Benzema was left off France's World Cup squad by then coach Raymond Domenech, ostensibly due to his poor form for Real.

Since then, Benzema has mostly been a first choice for France and Real, but he stumbled through a 1,222-minute scoring drought for the national team before netting in a 6-0 friendly win over Australia in October 2013.

During the dry spell that started in June 2012, Benzema was at times jeered by fans who accused him of not trying hard enough. He was in good form during the World Cup in Brazil last year, but his current campaign has been interrupted by injury.

On Thursday he was left off France's squad for friendlies later this month against Germany and England due to a hamstring problem.