Abidal: 'I hope to go to Brazil!'

After a surprise call-up to Les Bleus for Tuesday's friendly match against Belgium, AS Monaco captain Eric Abidal has set his sights on representing his country at the World Cup in Brazil next summer.

Abidal's selection by coach Didier Deschamps surprised many observers in France. A member of 2010 World Cup squad that infamously went on strike at Knysna, refusing to train ahead of the final group match against South Africa, Abidal then overcame a life-threatening tumour thanks to a liver transplant while playing at Barcelona.
Prove the doubters wrong
He joined Monaco this summer and is ready to prove the doubters wrong.
"I know a lot of people think I've been recalled too quickly, that I'm not ready, but I am," he said at Clairefontaine on Monday. "I am delighted to be here and I want to give it everything out on the pitch. Les Bleus are so important to me.
"I know everything depends on the coming season with Monaco and how I play. But if I have a good season, I will be in the team, all the way to Brazil, I hope."
Abidal reiterated that, despite his illness, he now lives 'a normal life', even though he still has regular 'check-ups and blood analysis'.

France squad to play Belgium in Brussels on 14 August
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Mickaël Landreau (Bastia)
Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United/ENG), Eric Abidal (Monaco), Eliaquim Mangala (FC Porto/POR), Adil Rami (Valencia/ESP), Gaël Clichy (Manchester City/ENG), Patrice Evra (Manchester United/ENG), Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny (both Arsenal/ENG)
Midfielders: Josuha Guilavogui (Saint-Etienne), Geoffrey Kondogbia (Sevilla/ESP), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Etienne Capoue (Toulouse), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United/ENG), Clément Grenier (Lyon)
Forwards: Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich/GER), Mathieu Valbuena, Dimitri Payet (both Marseille), Samir Nasri (Manchester City/ENG), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/ESP), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal/ENG)