Cameroon defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto says he chose not to play for France because the country blames “black players and Muslims” when the team struggles.
The 30-year-old Tottenham full-back was born in France, but qualified to play for Cameroon through his father.
He said: “When the national team get a bad result, they start to say there is a little bit too many black people, Muslim people and this kind of stuff. I don’t like it. There is no point for me to play for this kind of country.”
After starting his career with Lens, Assou-Ekotto joined Tottenham in 2006 and made his Cameroon debut three years later.
Having helped Queens Park Rangers win promotion to the Premier League during a season-long loan, he is playing at his second World Cup.
Cameroon, who opened their Group A campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Mexico face Croatia on Wednesday.
The French football team have many Muslim players including Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool) and Karim Benzema ( Real Madrid).
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France has the largest Muslim population in Europe, numbering between 4.5-5 million it makes up 3% of the national population.
Nicolas Anelka’s “quenelle” controversy
West Bromwich Albion sacked Nicolas Anelka after he was banned for five matches and fined £80,000 for his “quenelle” gesture.
The Frenchman and his legal team had defended his actions to the FA’s independent regulatory commission hearing, saying the controversial gesture was in support of his friend, the French comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala – the person who first brought the quenelle to prominence.
The action, which the striker made after scoring in the 3-3 draw at West Ham in December 2013, was described afterwards by France’s sports minister Valerie Fourneyron days as “shocking and disgusting”.
