France Ban Anelka For Life

Technically Nicolas Anelka‘s international career is not over. But it might as well be. At 31-years old, the striker’s 18-match ban handed down by the French Football Federation (FFF) for his role in France‘s World Cup nightmare forces him into the international wilderness.

We still don’t know exactly what happened in the events leading up to Anelka‘s banishment from France‘s World Cup squad and the training ground boycott that ensued but what is clear is the FFF want Anelka out of the way… for good.

Nicolas Anelka has never been everyone’s favourite player. Nicknamed ‘Le Sulk’ after his controversial exit from Arsenal in 1999. The tag stuck through his time in Spain and Turkey. Now back in England enjoying his football with Chelsea, Nicolas Anelka has gone a long way to improve his image but this latest episode throws a spanner in the works.

French Football‘s decision to dish out a five-match ban to Patrice Evra, a three-match ban to Franck Ribery, and a one-match ban to Jeremy Toulalan, the remaining members of France’s rebellious World Cup squad, shows in no uncertain terms that the FFF lay the blame for France’s World Cup shocker firmly at the feet of Nicolas Anelka.

To acquire 18 matches at international level can last a lifetime, just ask David Ginola. In his twelve years playing for the French national team Nicolas Anelka has been capped 69 times. By that math alone, Anelka would have to play at the highest level for another three seasons, when he’ll be the ripe old age of 34, before his 18-match ban is served and he stands a chance of representing Les Bleus again.

Nicolas Anelka may never shake off his ‘Le Sulk’ tag but the other Blues, Chelsea, won’t care one bit. Having just signed a new contract to keep him at the club until 2012, Roman Abramovich is set to reap the benefits of Anelka‘s football swansong.

Au revoir, Nico!