Nasri confirms international retirement

Samir Nasri confirmed on Saturday he has quit international football, blaming France coach Didier Deschamps and the French media.

Nasri claimed he does not have a chance of playing as long as Deschamps is coach and argued that when he represents France all he and his family gets is grief.

The 27-year-old has played 41 games for France, scoring five goals but was left out of Deschamps squad for the World Cup in Brazil.

As recently as last week, Nasri had admitted he had made a decision about his international future but claimed he would reveal what that was “when the time is right”.

“I’ve been thinking about it [international retirement] since the 2012 European Championship. This is just a confirmation of what I’ve been feeling,” Nasri said on Saturday.

“Let’s face it, as long as he [Deschamps] is going to be the manager I don’t think I have a shot after everything that happened.

“He said he didn’t pick me for the World Cup because I wasn’t happy on the bench but I don’t know one player who is happy on the bench, especially when you don’t understand the reason.”

Nasri added he did not trust the other players in Deschamps squad either.

“The French national team doesn’t make me happy. Every time I go there, it’s more trouble,” he said.

“I face accusations and my family suffer for it, and I don’t want to make them suffer. I think it’s wiser to stop it and focus on my club career.

“It’s not just about the manager. He did what he thought was best for his team at the World Cup. The press in France reported that other players were complaining about me.

“Why would I want to be in a group where other players can’t even be honest and tell me to my face if they have a problem with me?”

Nasri played 34 Premier League matches and scored seven goals as Manchester City won the title last season but Deschamps claimed him out of his squad for Brazil because the midfielder struggled to translate club form to the international stage.

That prompted Nasri’s girlfriend Anara Atanes to abuse Deschamps on Twitter as the former Arsenal and Marseille man attempted to come to terms to missing out on two World Cups in a row.

Nasri did play four matches at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, starting three, but was banned for three games after the tournament by the French Football Federation for verbally abusing a journalist.

Without Nasri, France reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup, where they lost 1-0 to eventual champions Germany.