Anelka: Ireland goal sparked World Cup finals outburst

Nicolas Anelka has revealed his goal against Republic of Ireland in the first leg of the 2010 World Cup qualifying play-off set in motion the events that led to his outburst at coach Raymond Domenech in South Africa.

The bust up with the manager ended with his team-mates going on strike and Anelka subsequently banned for 18 matches.

Anelka was so upset by the response in France to his winning goal in the match, particularly from the French press, that he let his anger fester and it boiled up into his famous half-time rant during France’s opening match against Uruguay.

The goal against Ireland helped France qualify for South Africa but it still didn’t earn him any praise.

“After all the ups and downs I’ve had with the France team, I felt that goal against Ireland was something good for my country for once, something positive. I was pleased with myself. But no: it wasn’t enough, the press didn’t want it to be me, and that hurt. It really hurt.”

After the game, Anelka was questioned by a journalist who said that opinion was divided over his performance against Ireland, that some felt he had played well, others that tactically he had strayed from his position and made life difficult for his team-mates. Anelka was incredulous.

“Are you saying that I’m a problem?” he told the reporter. The next day, L’Equipe ran the headline: ‘Anelka: Am I a problem?’

“After that I thought, ‘well, with a World Cup or no World Cup, I couldn’t care less. That will stay with me for all my life: when you know you’ve done your duty and accomplished your task and yet someone comes along and sticks a knife in your back. Seriously, that hurt a great deal.”

Anelka was talking to two old school-friends on “L’Entrée des Trappistes”, a French documentary which aired last night about the career of Anelka and two successful French actor/comedians, Jamel Debbouze and Omar Sy, who all grew up together in the Paris suburb of Trappe.

Anelka also shed some light on how he was treated towards the end of his career at Chelsea, where he was forced to train with the youth team and not even allowed to change with the senior squad.

“I’ve got all the kit and equipment that professionals have, but they put me in a separate changing-room, that’s football for you. One day, you can be there scoring goals and doing all you have to do for your club, the day you leave there’s no pity.’’