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Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has retired from France duty - before aiming barbs at boss Didier Deschamps.

The centre back played 51 times for his country but missed their World Cup victory this summer due to an Achilles injury.

Koscielny told Canal+ that he had barely heard from Deschamps since his injury and was let down by the lack of support from the former Chelsea ace.

He said: "He called me once for my birthday in September. Otherwise, no.

"Lots of people disappointed me. Not only the coach. It feels like a hit on the back of the head.

"When you are in good form, you have lots of friends. When you are injured… after a certain period of time, you are forgotten about.”

(Image: AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFEFRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)

Koscielny is hoping to return next month for Arsenal but admitted that missing the World Cup victory with France was more painful than the injury itself.

France lifted the trophy in Moscow in July but Koscielny looked on heartbroken at missing out on what would have been the highlight of his career.

(Image: TF-Images/Getty Images)

He told Canal Plus: “France’s World Cup victory did me a lot more psychological damage than my injury did me. I think that I have given everything I can for France, I am 33, I have done two Euros, one World Cup.

“‘France has a great generation of great players now. My injury does not change my decision. For Les Bleus, it is finished.”

Koscielny is the second Gunners star to turn his back on his country in recent months, after Mesut Ozil quit Germany.