Anelka kicked out of World Cup

France and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka was kicked out of the World Cup on Saturday after reportedly launching a tirade of abuse at coach Raymond Domenech, the French Football Federation (FFF) said.

The 31-year-old Chelsea forward told Domenech to “go screw yourself, dirty son of a whore” in the dressing room after the coach took issue with his first-half performance against Mexico, sports daily L’Equipe claimed.

“Anelka’s remarks are totally unacceptable for the FFF, French football and the values it defends,” said an FFF statement.

“Informed late in the evening on Friday about the serious incident at half-time in the match between France and Mexico, the president of the FFF, Jean-Pierre Escalettes, asked Nicolas Anelka, in the presence of captain Patrice Evra, to apologise.

“With the refusal of the player to publicly apologise, it was decided in full agreement with the coach and members of the delegation in Knysna to exclude Nicolas Anelka from the squad.

“He will leave the French training camp tonight.”

FFF vice-president Noel Le Graet said that while players were perfectly in their rights to question a coach’s tactics, Anelka had gone too far.

“The decision has been taken,” Le Graet told RTL radio. “It was perfectly normal to do it today, it couldn’t have been done any other way.

“I find it unbelievable, because if anyone has protected Anelka, it has been Domenech.

“Domenech has played Anelka throughout the past two years.

“There are of course divergences of opinion surrounding tactics and positioning, but it merits in any case friendlier conversations.”