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Vive la France? Manchester City’s Samir Nasri ponders national team future after World Cup guillotine

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri, heartbroken after a second successive World Cup snub by France, is rethinking his career with the national side at the tender age of 26.

France manager Didier Deschamps excluded Nasri from his 23-man squad for Brazil on Tuesday as Le Tricolore pursue a second World Cup crown after their maiden success in 1998.

Nasri’s girlfriend was less than impressed by the move, given the midfielder’s opening goal in Sunday’s decisive 2-0 triumph over West Ham which handed City the Premier League.

A summer of soul-searching beckons for Nasri, who four years ago faced a similar low when Raymond Domenech left him out of the ill-fated France squad that made the news for a player strike.

“I need to take some time now to think about the national team because it’s been twice now that they take away a World Cup from me,” Nasri told Sky Sports News.

“I need to think a little bit during the holiday, what will be my future in the national team, because missing two World Cups is really hard for a player.

“It’s a little bit hard to accept.”

Nasri and Deschamps do not see eye to eye over the player’s desire to be ever-present on the pitch rather than sit idly on the bench.

“You can go around and ask any player if they’re happy to be on the bench, nobody’s going to say yes,” added Nasri, who has five goals in 41 appearances for France.

It is not all bad news for Nasri this week however, the Frenchman currently in Abu Dhabi with the City squad on their post-season tour as they limber up for Thursday’s friendly against Al Ain. 

And Nasri’s girlfriend yesterday again took took to Twitter to clarify her remarks on the social media site.

Main image courtesy of Manchester City FC via YouTube, with thanks.

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