JOIN USSamir Nasri, who was instrumental in helping Manchester City to win the Premier League title, was left out of France's World Cup squad when Didier Deschamps unveiled a 23-man list plus seven standby players on Tuesday.
Nasri, who has a reputation of being a troublemaker and was disappointing in Les Bleus's playoff first leg against Ukraine last year, was a notable absentee along with defender Eric Abidal. Abidal, who has been used sparingly by Claudio Ranieri at Monaco during the second part of the season, has been deemed not good enough to travel to Brazil.
French radio RMC reported that Abidal, 34, is retiring from international football. "Samir is an important player for Manchester City but he has not performed that well with France," Deschamps said.
"He is a starter at City, which is not the case with France and he has made clear that he is not happy when he is not (a starter), and I can tell you it can be felt in the squad.
France: Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda, Mickael Landreau; Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy, Lucas Digne, Patrice Evra, Laurent Koscielny, Eliaquim Mangala, Bacary Sagna, Mamadou Sakho, Raphael Varane; Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye, Clement Grenier, Blaise Matuidi, Rio Mavuba, Paul Pogba, Moussa Sissoko, Mathieu Valbuena; Forwards: Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Loic Remy, Franck Ribery.