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Arsenal's Abou Diaby considered retirement during recovery from knee injury

Oft-injured Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby made his long-awaited return to the squad on Sunday, as the Frenchman was among the substitutes during the Gunners' 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.

While he did not get to feature in the match, it was encouraging nonetheless to see the rangy midfielder back on the bench, 13 months after rupturing the cruciate ligaments in his left knee during a training session.

But in an interview with French daily L'Equipe, Diaby said there were many times during his rehabilitation that he considered hanging up his boots for good.

ESPN FC has the details:

You ask yourself whether you're going to still be a footballer. You think of giving up everything. I said to myself: 'I'm sick of this! I'm quitting!' I spoke about it with my parents, my brothers, my sisters, my friends...Then, I got up one morning: 'No, out of the question!'

I had to start from scratch. But given where I'd been, it didn't really matter. It's been tough because I've had a lot of injuries. I'm religious, and in my belief, despair doesn't exist. You must never give in. Also, I'm only 27, soon 28. I still have five or six years ahead of me, perhaps more.

Diaby, whose return to the lineup was delayed by an infection in his knee that required further surgery in October, says he is "realistic" over his slim chances of featuring for France at the upcoming World Cup, but added that a place on the 23-man squad is something that he is still dreaming of.

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