Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny suffered an Achilles injury at the end of last season and that forced him to sit out of France’s squad for the 2018 World Cup.
The 33-year-old had initially admitted that he would retire from international football after the FIFA tournament in Russia and has now announced that he will no longer represent Les Bleus during an interview with Canal Plus.
His long-term injury meant the central defender watched his country win the World Cup from the stands and the Gunners player has revealed that France’s last success has hurt him more than the injury he suffered in May.
“France’s victory at the World Cup made me much more psychologically hurt than my injury. I went to the final, because I think I had to go to feel good in my head. It did me good and bad at the same time, but I needed that to mourn and turn the page,” Koscielny was quoted as saying by Foot Mercato.
The Premier League defender has also expressed his unhappiness towards a lot of people for forgetting him during his lengthy lay-off. The Arsenal player decided against getting into details, but did not hold back while being critical about France coach Didier Deschamps.
“I do not need anyone to talk about me in the press. But the people around me, they are there to help me, to take my news. There, you count them on the ten fingers of the hand. Maybe a little more but not a lot. You learn a lot, you are disappointed too, a lot,” he said.
“He [Deschamps] contacted me once. He sent me a text message in September, for my birthday. As I told you earlier, about the people you thought were close to you, there were people who disappointed me. There are plenty of other people, not just the coach. Other coaches. You take a shot behind the head.”
