Forward Franck Ribery has pulled out of France's final two World Cup qualifiers because of a knee injury, the French Football Federation (FFF) said.
He left the France training camp outside Paris because of tendinitis in his left knee and will not play against Faroe Islands on Saturday in Guingamp or Austria four days later at Stade de France, the FFF said on its website (www.fff.fr).
France coach Raymond Domenech already had to make do without playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, sidelined with a thigh injury, and will now be missing arguably his two most creative players.
France are second in Group Seven, four points behind Serbia, and will struggle to finish top and avoid a two-legged playoff on the road to next year's finals in South Africa.