Koscielny calls time on France career

LONDON: Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny, who missed France’s World Cup triumph in Russia due to injury, said on Sunday his international career was “finished”.

The 33-year-old had intended to retire from France duty following the tournament, but the defender was ruled out of Didier Deschamps’ squad for the finals after rupturing his Achilles t endon in May.

“The injur y is one thing, the World Cup win is another. I think the victory certainly hurt me much more psychologically than my injury,” Koscielny told Canal Plus.

“The World Cup will remain a dark stage of my career and my life.”

“I think I’ve given what I could to the France team. I’m 33 now. I’ve been to two Euros, a World Cup. For me, my injury hasn’t changed anything,” he said.

“It’s over with Les Bleus. I will always be a France supporter but what is sure is that I will never put on the blue shirt again.”

Koscielny has yet to return for Arsenal since hurting himself during the second leg of last season’s Europa League semi-final defeat by Atletico Madrid.

“I have a new mindset. There will be the Laurent before and the Laurent after the injury. I want to carry on at Arsenal and I want to come back soon,” he said.

Koscielny made his France debut in November 2011 in a friendly against the United States. He earned the last of his 51 caps in a 3-1 victory over Russia in March.