Anelka kicked out of France squad

Nicolas Anelka has been kicked out of France's World Cup squad after insulting coach Raymond Domenech and refusing to apologise, the French Football Federation said on Saturday.

The Chelsea striker reportedly made obscene comments to Domenech at half-time during the 2-0 loss to Mexico, and then refused to apologise when asked to do so by FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes.

"Faced by the refusal of the player to publicly apologise, he (Escalettes) took the decision in total agreement with the coach and the official members of the delegation present in Knysna to exclude Nicolas Anelka from the squad," an FFF statement read.

"He will leave the French team camp this evening."

The FFF said that France captain Patrice Evra was also present with Escalettes when the decision was taken.

Two unconvincing performances in the 0-0 draw with Uruguay and against Mexico had observers like former France defender Bixente Lizarazu furious at Anelka's casual attitude.

"What bothers me is Nicolas Anelka's performance in the first half. I saw a player strolling ... strolling in the World Cup!" Lizarazu said. "He wasn't aggressive, wasn't interested in the game. Domenech took him off at the break, but should have done so before. You shouldn't play in a selfish manner, you have to show you're up for it."

Like Eric Cantona before him, Anelka will now be remembered as one of the most controversial players to represent France, and one of the most talented but enigmatic ever to wear France's blue shirt.

Cantona, who once kicked a spectator in England, also had a spell in the international wilderness after insulting France coach Henri Michel live on television after he was dropped for a friendly match against Czechoslovakia in 1988.

Cantona's tirade against Michel kept him out of the France squad until Michel Platini recalled him a year later, while Anelka had an even longer spell out.

Anelka has long been an enigmatic player for France, scoring twice in a stunning performance against England way back in 1999, but then refused to play under coach Jacques Santini and spent three years out of the national team until Domenech called him back up in November, 2005.

Six months later, Domenech snubbed him for the 2006 squad. But Anelka seemed to have put that all of that behind him when he scored a deflected goal away to Ireland in the World Cup playoff last November.

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