Valbuena jubilant at France selection

Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena expressed his delight on Monday after being selected for the France squad ahead of the World Cup.

The 25-year-old is among the 24 players named by coach Raymond Domenech for the first training camp at Tignes in the French Alps ahead of the World Cup which gets underway in South Africa on June 11.

“I feel joy, pride because I’ve come so far. With this exceptional year it’s the icing on the cake,” said Valbuena, who won the French title and League Cup with Marseille this season.

“I’m going to go to Tignes with a lot of humility and determination. Already for me Marseille was inaccessible, the France team is even more,” he said.

“To play the World Cup is extraordinary and that’s an understatement. I’m counting on bringing what I know how to do with Marseille. I’m also going to learn and live a human adventure which will be extraordinary.

“I’m not going to take anything for granted, I’m going to work, whether it’s to play five, ten minutures or more.”