Football
Laurent Koscielny announces France retirement
Laurent Koscielny has retired from international football and taken a dig at France head coach Didier Deschamps in the process.
The Arsenal defender missed this summer’s World Cup in Russia after suffering an Achilles injury playing for Arsenal against Atletico Madrid in the Europa League, and has now decided to focus on his club career.
The 33-year-old took the opportunity to criticise Deschamps, however, and claimed France winning the World Cup caused him a “lot more psychological damage than my injury”.
“I think that I have given everything I can for France, I am 33, I have done two Euros, one World Cup,” Koscielny told French TV station _Canal+_.
He(Deschamps) called me only once, that’s for my birthday and that was all, I have given my best, let he rest continue. The world cup agonizing injury was more of a stab in my back
“France has a great generation of great players now. My injury does not change my decision. For Les Bleus, it is finished.”
-
Crime7 days agoServing police officers arrested with firearms amid escalating Cross River communal crisis
-
Latest6 days agoHigh Court opens hearing on Goodluck Jonathan’s 2027 presidential eligibility
-
Latest5 days agoNigerian Senate reverses standing orders amendment over constitutional concerns
-
Latest2 days agoWike loyalists dominate As APC clears 33 aspirants for Rivers Assembly primaries, 65 disqualified
-
Crime14 hours agoBritish-Nigerian prisoner escapes after mistaken release from custody
-
Business6 hours agoAnger, debate trail proposed $1.25bn loan amid concerns over Nigeria’s debt surge
-
Business7 hours agoNigeria’s 2026 debt servicing hits $11.6bn as Tinubu decries global financial inequity
-
Crime7 hours agoNDLEA seizes N10.4bn Canadian ‘loud’ shipment at Lagos Port, vows crackdown on syndicates