France coach Didier Deschamps on Tuesday left Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri out of his 23-man squad for this year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Neither 26-year-old Nasri, who has won 41 caps, nor Monaco captain Eric Abidal, capped 67 times, feature in the squad or on the seven-man standby list.
“He is a player of great quality, but Samir’s performances for France have not been of the standard of those with his club Manchester City,” Deschamps said after revealing his squad live on French television channel TF1’s evening news programme.
“He is an important player and a first-pick for Manchester City and that is not the case for France.
“And when he is a substitute he is not happy, and that is felt by the squad as a whole. That is why he is not on the list.”
Nasri responded to the news of his exclusion by tweeting: “Thanks for all your messages of support that’s life another world cup spent at home what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (sic)”.
Nasri, who was also left out of Raymond Domenech’s squad for the 2010 World Cup, last played for France in the 2-0 defeat to Ukraine in the first leg of last November’s World Cup qualifying play-off.
Abidal also played in that game before losing his place, and Deschamps admitted that he preferred to take a younger player than the former Barcelona man, who is now 34.
There are eight players aged under 25 in the squad, including Real Sociedad winger Antoine Griezmann, who made his international debut against the Netherlands in March, and 21-year-old duo Raphael Varane of Real Madrid and Paul Pogba of Juventus.
Bastia’s 34-year-old goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, who will retire from football after the finals, is the senior figure in the squad, while Paris Saint-Germain left-back Lucas Digne, 20, was preferred to Gael Clichy of Manchester City.
Newcastle United forward Loic Remy, who played under Deschamps at Marseille, was selected rather than Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette, scorer of 15 goals in Ligue 1 this season.
Laczette was named on a seven-man standby list that also includes uncapped Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, who has enjoyed a fine season in the Premier League.
The seven players on standby will team up with the full squad at France’s training base at Clairefontaine, near Paris, on May 19 and will stay with the squad until May 28, the day after the friendly against Norway at the Stade de France.
Changes can be made to the 23-man squad up to Fifa’s June 2 deadline before France head to the finals, where Deschamps hopes to make an impact while also preparing a side capable of winning Euro 2016, which France will host.
“I am not going to waste a World Cup but we will begin our Euro 2016 preparations as of now,” he said.
“I don’t dream. I’m a realist, but that doesn’t prevent me from having ambition.”
France have been drawn in Group E with Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras.
As well as playing Norway, they will play friendlies against Paraguay in Nice on June 1 and Jamaica at Lille’s Stade Pierre-Mauroy on June 8 before flying to Brazil.
Their opening World Cup game will be against Honduras in Porto Alegre on June 15.
France World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Mickael Landreau (Bastia), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Mandanda (Marseille)
Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United), Lucas Digne (Paris Saint-Germain), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Eliaquim Mangala (FC Porto), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Paris Saint-Germain), Clement Grenier (Lyon), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)
Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad), Loic Remy (Newcastle United), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)
Standby list: Remy Cabella (Montpellier), Maxime Gonalons, Alexandre Lacazette (both Lyon), Loic Perrin, Stephane Ruffier (both Saint-Etienne), Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton), Benoit Tremoulinas (Saint-Etienne, on loan from Dynamo Kiev)
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Getting there:
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
EPL's youngest
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Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
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A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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GIANT REVIEW
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Lexus LX700h specs
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
