IN SPORT.ES
Jeremy Mathieu announced in L’Equipe on Saturday that he was quitting the French national team because he didn’t have ‘the motivation’ to continue.
The FC Barcelona defender was taken out of the last squad for Mangala after speaking with coach Didier Deschamps, and thinks that at 32 the national team is not for him any more.
“When I saw the squad I thought a little bit earlier about deciding to end my international career - five games. I don’t reject the national team, it’s simply that I want to stop. I don’t have the motivation to continue, I want to dedicate myself to my club.”
Mathieu admitted that Deschamps was a little surprised, but added: “In the end I think he understood.”
The Cule will be 35 by the time the next World Cup comes around and he wants to step out of the way for the younger players. He missed Euro 2016 with a hamstring problem, saying he didn’t “have much luck” with his international career.