Lassana Diarra poses with Mamadou Sakho and Blaise Matuidi after midfielder returns for France after five-year international exile

Lassana Diarra made a strong impression on his return for France after five years in exile as the Euro 2016 hosts comfortably beat Armenia 4-0.

The former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder, who now plays for Marseille in Ligue 1, hadn't featured for Les Bleus since he won his 28th cap in an August friendly in 2010, but was back in action in Nice on Thursday night.

Diarra, 30, who is known as 'Lass', appears to have settled back in among the squad seamlessly, posing for a post-victory picture on Twitter with team-mates Mamadou Sakho and Blaise Matuidi.

Lassana Diarra (centre) poses with team-mates Blaise Matuidi (left) and Mamadou Sakho 

Lassana Diarra (centre) poses with team-mates Blaise Matuidi (left) and Mamadou Sakho 

Diarra impressed for France on Thursday night in his first return to international football in five years

Diarra impressed for France on Thursday night in his first return to international football in five years

The 30-year-old was composed in midfield as France beat Armenia 4-0 in Nice on Thursday night

The 30-year-old was composed in midfield as France beat Armenia 4-0 in Nice on Thursday night

And he was virtually faultless on the night as he sat in front of the two centre backs, Raphael Varane and Sakho, while fellow defensive midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin had to watch on from the bench until his second-half introduction.

The timing of Diarra's return, after he spent the entirety of the 2014-15 season without a club due to a dispute with former club Lokomotiv Moscow, is incredibly well-timed with the European Championships on home soil coming up next summer.

Paul Pogba will return to the heart of France's midfield when he recovers from injury, but there are spots up for grabs in Didier Deschamps' squad.

The head coach is undoubtedly a fan of Diarra, as he wasted no time in recalling him to the international stage after an impressive start to the season in France.

Didier Deschamps is a fan of Diarra after throwing him straight back into the starting line-up

Didier Deschamps is a fan of Diarra after throwing him straight back into the starting line-up

Diarra shielded the French central defensive pair of Raphael Varane (left) and Mamadou Sakho

Diarra shielded the French central defensive pair of Raphael Varane (left) and Mamadou Sakho

'Lass is making very promising debuts in the season. He has international experience... and plays a strategic role as a midfielder,' Deschamps said ahead of the victory over Armenia.

And Diarra's performance on Thursday night will have done his case for further inclusion no harm whatsoever.

 

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