Rifts in France's dressing room were brought into full view when striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home from the World Cup for insulting coach Raymond Domenech, adding further tension to a team that has been struggling to find harmony on and off the pitch.

Anelka's exclusion heaps more embarrassment on a malfunctioning team that could be set for another huge failure at a major tournament after its group-stage elimination from the European Championship two years ago.

Anelka was sent home for refusing to apologise after aiming an expletive-laced tirade at Domenech during the halftime team talk during Thursday's 2-0 defeat to Mexico.

The fact that the spat was made public has further increased the unrest in the French camp, with captain Patrice Evra saying there is a "traitor" within the team who leaked the comments to media.

Anelka made his comments as he went to sit in his corner of the changing room after being reproached by Domenech for his lacklustre performance against Mexico. Domenech responded by telling him "you're not carrying on," Escalettes said.

Anelka also said the argument should have stayed within the team.

"It happened within the confines of the changing rooms, between the coach and me, in front of my teammates and the staff," Anelka told the website of France Soir newspaper. "That should never have come out of the changing rooms. I don't know who can benefit from that, but repeating these kind of things certainly doesn't help (the team)."

Evra said all the players wanted Anelka to stay, but the French football federation decided otherwise.

"He's upset by this, he is really hurt, disgusted," Evra said. "The problem isn't Anelka, it's the traitor among us."

However, the FFF cut Anelka adrift because they felt his comments went too far.

Anelka was to leave on Saturday night, French football federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes said.

The timing of Anelka's demise could not come at a worse time for a once-proud team that is now riddled by conflicts - just like it was at Euro 2008 under Domenech.

France drew its opening game 0-0 against Uruguay and has only one point from two games. It must beat South Africa to stand a chance of advancing, and also hope Mexico and Uruguay don't draw as they have four points each.

"I won't look for excuses," Evra said. "You're a top-level player and you can't qualify for the second round of a major tournament? It's unacceptable."

Evra feels the team as a whole has paid the price for Anelka's outburst after being undone by a mole in the camp leaking details of the heated clash to sports daily L'Equipe.

"It could be the players, the staff, but it's someone within the group who wants to harm us, of that I'm sure," Evra said.

Asked how many players wanted Anelka to stay on, Evra said "all" did, but the situation was out of his control.

Anelka said he regrets having upset his teammates. Previous reports said he had fallen out with France midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, demanding that Domenech drop Gourcuff from the Mexico game.

"My aim was never to destabilise the French team, an institution I respect. I accept my exclusion from the France team and I wish them good luck," Anelka said. "I have a lot of respect for the France team, I equally have a lot of respect for all of my teammates without exception, I insist on that point."

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.

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.

Having won two English league and cup doubles, with Chelsea this season and with Arsenal 12 years ago, the Premier League's Golden Boot in the 2008-09 season, the European Championship with France and the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2000, Anelka's last-remaining ambition was to be a World Cup star.

Instead, Anelka heads home in shame.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP