Karim Benzema has denied reports that Nike cancelled a planned advertising collaboration with him, after news circulated that the American sportswear brand had pulled out of a promotional campaign involving the former Real Madrid striker.
According to The Athletic, Nike scrapped a photo shoot scheduled in London for its "Cortez" line after reviewing Benzema's past. The report claims the company concluded his character does not align with its values.
Benzema hit back on Friday. Posting an Instagram story, he wrote: "Fake news.. my dear", pairing the words with several emojis in his first comment on the alleged collaboration.
The reports follow the end of his contract with Adidas, amid talk of a switch to Nike. His response flatly rejects the account of the campaign's cancellation, though he offered no further detail on what actually happened between the two parties.
Now 38, Benzema is not currently tied to any club. Nike, meanwhile, have issued no official comment clarifying their position on the collaboration or whether the photo shoot was cancelled at all.