Samir Nasri Explains Shock Retirement from French National Team
Samir Nasri has officially announced his retirement from the French national team, revealing deep frustrations with the current management and team dynamics. The Manchester City midfielder has decided to focus solely on his club career after a series of disappointing experiences with Les Bleus.
In a candid interview, Nasri laid bare the reasons behind his unexpected decision, citing a strained relationship with France’s head coach Didier Deschamps and ongoing tensions within the squad. “The horizon is a bit blocked with Deschamps as manager. I respect his choices, but the French team no longer makes me happy,” Nasri said. “Every time I go there, it’s to have problems or issues. I don’t want to fuel the controversy. It’s better to focus on my club, with which I signed a new contract. It’s a disappointment, but that’s how it is.”
Nasri’s departure comes in the wake of his omission from the 2014 World Cup squad, a decision that clearly weighed heavily on him. The 27-year-old playmaker also revealed that some of his teammates had actively called for his exclusion from the national team during the previous winter, a revelation that adds another layer of complexity to his exit.
“After the Euro 2012, I already had doubts, but my father encouraged me to continue. I gave everything on the pitch to make it to the World Cup, but it wasn’t enough,” Nasri explained. “Every time there are problems with so-and-so, with journalists… it makes my family suffer, and I don’t want that. So it’s wiser to make this decision.”
He went on to express disappointment in the lack of direct communication from his critics within the team. “It’s the press that says things about me, and some players on the French national team who say they have a problem with me in the media but don’t take responsibility when I’m in front of them,” Nasri said. “I’m not a hypocrite, and I don’t want to be a hypocrite in front of the players when I know some have called for my ouster. I’m not a fake person; I say what I think even if it can cause problems. I also have dignity and pride.”
The 27-year-old’s frankness shines a light on the internal struggles that have plagued the French national team in recent years. His decision to retire internationally, despite his still-flourishing club career, underscores a growing rift between some players and the management.
Nasri, who recently renewed his contract with Manchester City, now intends to channel his energies fully into club football, aiming to build on his Premier League successes and avoid further controversies.
His retirement marks the end of a turbulent chapter for the French midfielder, whose international career was often overshadowed by off-field issues and media scrutiny. As he steps away from Les Bleus, the football world will watch closely to see how this decision impacts both Nasri’s legacy and the future dynamics of the French national team.
