The Bayern Munich winger announced his international retirement after missing the World Cup.
UEFA President Michel Platini has warned his compatriot Franck Ribery that he’ll be suspended if he refuses a call up to play for France, according to Bild.
Ribery announced his international retirement after missing the World Cup through injury, but Platini says it wasn’t the player’s choice to make.
“Franck cannot decide himself whether he plays for France,” said the former France star and coach.
“If (coach) Didier Deschamps picks him, he must come. That’s the FIFA rule. If he doesn’t come, he will be suspended for three Bayern Munich games.”
A FIFA rule states that a player must accept a national team call-up to prevent internationals from picking and choosing which games they play for their national team.
The rule is not usually invoked is a player has announced his retirement, with national teams usually respecting the player’s wishes.
However, there is a precedent for forcing a player out of retirement – Jose Mourinho accused Raymond Domenech of treating Claude Makelele ‘like a slave’ in 2006 when he forced the then 33-year-old to play for France, despite Makelele announcing his
