Football
ESPN staff 10y

Franck Ribery retires from France duty

Franck Ribery has retired from international duty, the 31-year-old Frenchman told kicker.

Ribery, who missed this summer's World Cup with a back injury, said he would stop playing for France to concentrate on his club career and spend more time with his family.

He called the reasons for his retirement "purely personal."

Ribery earned 81 caps with France, scoring 16 times, and played at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. He was missed in Brazil, where France reached the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champions Germany.

France host the 2016 European Championship, but Ribery said that would not sway him to continue playing for Les Bleus.

"There were ups and downs, but now the time has come for a new chapter in my life," Ribery said.

Ribery is the second France player to announce his international retirement this week after Samir Nasri said he saw little future for himself with the national team.

^ Back to Top ^