Chelsea's Claude Makelele hinted he may have played his last match for France.

The midfielder told some of his France team mates after their World Cup qualifier on the Faroe Islands on Wednesday that he was quitting international football, the sports daily L'Equipe reported on Thursday.

An ever present for Chelsea this season, Makelele did not play in the 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands so the 0-0 draw with Israel at the Stade de France last Saturday may have been his last match for his country, L'Equipe said.

Makelele has not, however, made an official announcement about retiring.

Coach Raymond Domenech will not be surprised by Makelele's decision since he told the 31-year-old former Nantes, Celta Vigo and Real Madrid midfielder he was building for the future.

Makelele was included in the squad for the qualifiers only because Arsenal's Patrick Vieira was recovering from injury, according to L'Equipe. Vieira made his comeback against the Faroes but having been sent off his suspension against Ireland next month poses a new midfield problem for Domenech.

France have lost the 1998 World Cup-winning back four of Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc and Bixente Lizarazu, all but Blanc since Euro 2004, and playmaker Zinedine Zidane to international retirement.

Makelele, although of the same generation, was usually a reserve for France, missing out on the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 and winning most of his 35 caps since 2002.