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Striker Nicolas Anelka was kicked out of France's World Cup squad on Saturday for insulting coach Raymond Domenech and refusing to apologise, the French Football Federation (FFF) said. Anelka insulted Domenech in a crude manner at halftime of a 2-0 defeat by Mexico. "The comments made by Nicolas Anelka towards national coach Raymond Domenech are totally unacceptable for the French Football Federation, French soccer and the values they defend," the FFF said in a statement.
FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes decided to exclude the striker after Anelka, who was to leave France's base at Knysna, Western Cape, later on Saturday, said he would not apologise.
Anelka's insults towards Domenech came after the coach had criticised the player's attitude on the pitch against Mexico before deciding to take him off for the second half. Anelka admitted to have words with Domenech but denied having said the foul-mouth comments attributed to him by French daily L'Equipe. "The words printed in the press were not mine," he was quoted as saying. "I did have a heated conversation with the coach in the secrecy of the locker room, in front of my team mates and the staff. It should never had come out of the locker room."
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