European: Makelele set to quit international football

France midfielder Claude Makelele is expected to retire from international football.

The Chelsea star wanted to quit Les Bleus following their exit from Euro 2004 in order to concentrate on club matters.

The move would have seen Makelele join the likes of Lilian Thuram and Zinedine Zidane in quitting the national team.

However, new coach Raymond Domenech asked the 31-year-old to fill in for Patrick Vieira as the Arsenal captain was doubtful with the thigh injury that has been troubling him.

Although Makelele faced Israel, he was left out of the Faroe Islands encounter as Vieira skippered the side, and was sent off in the 2-0 World Cup qualifying win.

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more bad news for the french team, although they still have vieria, i think oliver dacourt, the player who was at leeds and went to roma, he could maybe get the place, similar type of defensive midfieldfers

There seems to be alot of players doing this now. I guess to prolong their careers and earn top money for a few extra years....

thats what was said about shearer i think? that if he had continued playing international football he might not have been able to keep playing up the high standars of the priemership?

hehe. am sure som1 said that