Laurent Koscielny has retired from international football aged 33. And the Arsenal defender has slammed World Cup-winning manager Didier Deschamps for not standing by him fully during his injury spell.
Koscielny spoke of his decision to retire from intentional duty in a revealing interview with French channel Canal+.
And in it, he made time to blast Deschamps for a lack of communication after he injured his Achilles. Tat knock meant Koscielny missed out on France's glory in Russia earlier this summer. He picked up the injury in the Europa League semi-final between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid. Koscielny said: "He called me once for my birthday in September. Otherwise, no.
"Lots of people disappointed me. Not only the coach. It feels like a hit on the back of the head." Koscielny, who won 51 caps for his country, also spoke of the psychological damage missing out on the World Cup did.
He said: "France’s World Cup victory did me a lot more psychological damage than my injury did me. "I think that I have given everything I can for France, I am 33, I have done 2 Euros, 1 World Cup. France has a great generation of great players now. My injury does not change my decision. For Les Bleus, it is finished.
"When you are in good form, you have lots of friends. When you are injured… after a certain period of time, you are forgotten about."
Laurent Koscielny
Koscielny takes a dig on France head coach Didier Deschamp. “He called me once for my birthday in September. Otherwise, No. Lots of people disappointed me. Not the coach. It feels like a slap in the face. ”
Koscielny spoke of his decision to retire from intentional duty in a revealing interview with French channel Canal+.
And in it, he made time to blast Deschamps for a lack of communication after he injured his Achilles. Tat knock meant Koscielny missed out on France's glory in Russia earlier this summer. He picked up the injury in the Europa League semi-final between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid. Koscielny said: "He called me once for my birthday in September. Otherwise, no.
"Lots of people disappointed me. Not only the coach. It feels like a hit on the back of the head." Koscielny, who won 51 caps for his country, also spoke of the psychological damage missing out on the World Cup did.
He said: "France’s World Cup victory did me a lot more psychological damage than my injury did me. "I think that I have given everything I can for France, I am 33, I have done 2 Euros, 1 World Cup. France has a great generation of great players now. My injury does not change my decision. For Les Bleus, it is finished.
"When you are in good form, you have lots of friends. When you are injured… after a certain period of time, you are forgotten about."
Laurent Koscielny in action for France
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