Damien Le Tallec has played many ungdomslandskampe for France. Now will the frenchman for the european championships with Russia.

The French footballer Damien Le Tallec to represent Russia at next year's european championship.

The 29-year-old midfielder from Montpellier has appeared on several French national youth teams, but it's never been to an a-international game for France.

some months ago he applied to get Russian citizenship, as he is a Russian married. Le Tallec hopes that Russia's national coach Stanislav Cherchesov will consider to take him.

- I love Russia, the culture and the mentality of the population.

- If the coach needs me, then I will answer his call, as soon as I've got my passport. It will be a great honour for me to represent Russia, says Damien Le Tallec to the newspaper Izvestia.

Le Tallec has previously in his career played for a Russian club that was located in Saransk, where the Danish national team played a match during the WORLD cup in 2018.

The French midfielder also has a son with his Russian wife. The son has dual citizenship. The family comes often in Moscow, where they have an apartment.

Russia has ended up in group with the Danish national team at next year's european championship. Finland and Belgium are the other opponents in the group. Denmark play all the team's group stage matches in Copenhagen.

/ritzau/AFP