Defender Jeremy Mathieu ends international career

Posted October 01, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) - French defender Jeremy Mathieu is quitting international football to focus on his club career with Barcelona.

A day after he was removed from the France squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers, Mathieu told Saturday's edition of L'Equipe newspaper that he lacks "the motivation to keep going."

France coach Didier Deschamps did not specify why he had removed Mathieu from the squad.

The 32-year-old Mathieu, who has five caps with France, missed the European Championship this year because of a calf injury.

Mathieu said he wants to make room for the younger players who will be playing at the 2018 World Cup if France qualifies.

France hosts Bulgaria on Oct. 7 at the Stade de France before traveling to play the Netherlands three days later in Group A.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers MLS Pro Sports Soccer Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.