Former key player for the French national team, Florent Malouda, despite expressing his interest, has not made a return to the squad since the Euro 2012 quarter-final elimination and the appointment of Didier Deschamps. At 33 years old, and despite a resurgence with Trabzonspor in Turkey, Malouda appears to be outside of the coach’s current plans. Despite this, the former Chelsea midfielder is not harboring resentment and takes pride in the French team’s impressive qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
“I was happy with the qualification because we sensed a bit of discouragement, as if some had given up on the team after the first leg. Witnessing the unity upon their return home was a pleasure. A World Cup without France would have been a bit dull. We shouldn’t be pessimistic; there’s a story to be written with this young group, and we should support them,” he shared on RMC.
Feeling neglected since his challenging times at Chelsea, Malouda points the finger at the French Football Federation for lack of support, expressing his hope for a potential return to the national team in the future.
“Since my time at Chelsea, I haven’t received much attention from the national team. Now, being active and performing well, I am eligible for international selection, but I haven’t heard much from the Federation. I’m not saying I expected a sign, but when it comes to responsibilities, it works both ways. The support is lacking, it doesn’t happen like this elsewhere; it’s a fact. However, I haven’t had a negative experience,” mentioned the player who scored his first goal for his new club last August.
