Mandanda announced his retirement from the French team at the age of 37

2023-01-15 10:45

Mandanda announced his retirement from the French team at the age of 37


After Hugo Lloris, another international player retired from the French team. Steve Mandanda, 37, announced on Saturday that he will be retiring from the national team with immediate effect.


Steve Mandanda serves as goalkeeper and currently plays for Ligue 1 Rennes. His national team career debut took place in an international friendly match on May 27, 2008, when France defeated Ecuador 2-0 at home.


Looking at his 14-year national team career, Mandanda has played a total of 35 times and kept 14 clean sheets. He is one of the members of the French team that won the World Cup in 2018 and the UEFA Europa League in 2021. In this World Cup, Mandanda ushered in the 5th World Cup in his career, but France lost to Argentina 4-2 in the final.


The French media "L'Equipe" first reported the news, and Mandanda himself later confirmed it. "I was surprised to read the report this morning because I didn't say it. Yes, it's true, I decided to retire from the national team after the World Cup," he said on the eve of Rennes' match against Paris Saint-Germain.


"I had a great time with France. It was an honor and a joy to be able to experience everything. But today is the time. For me at 37 years old, the end of my journey with France has come."


Mandanda added that he had discussed the matter with Lloris: "I had a conversation with Hugo (Lloris), and he was also thinking about the same issue at the time. In the end, we made the same decision. It is logical to make this decision, Because I am one year older than him, it is a correct and normal decision to quit the national team at this time."


"My relationship with Hugo has been rounded out by this: we started together, we ended together. I've been selected far less than him, but we've been through a lot together. I've been through it all and I'm so proud, thrilled and happy. My career with France is over," concluded Mandanda.