Nasri latest to join 'Les Miserables' French cast

Samir Nasri's scene stealing departure from Euro 2012 added to the rich history of French soccer players not doing things by halves when they want to express their disaffection with their lot.

From Nicolas Anelka in the 2010 World Cup -one could say the whole squad - to the volatile Eric Cantona in 1988 to Jean-Francois Larios before the 1982 World Cup the French have led the way in creating headlines for the front pages as well as back pages.

Nasri (pictured) turns 25 on Tuesday and may not have too many birthday cards or presents from his fellow French squad members after crossing swords with some of them during their ultimately stormy Euro 2012 campaign.

However, it is his foul -mouthed rant in the mixed zone after the 2-0 defeat to Spain in the quarterfinals that could push Laurent Blanc to send him into the international wilderness once more.

Ironically, it was Blanc who recalled him after the 2010 World Cup having been left out of that squad by Raymond Domenech because he was deemed a disruptive influence.

"I did talk to Nasri about his comportment with the press but evidently the message didn't get through," said an angry Blanc on Sunday, the day after Nasri's outburst. "It is not very good for Nasri's image and neither is it for the team's."

Nasri at least returned with the rest of the squad which was not the case for Anelka, whose expulsion after a slightly shorter foul-mouthed outburst at hapless coach Raymond Domenech at halftime of the team's 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the group stage of a catastrophic World Cup finals campaign.

But for the altercation appearing on the front page of L'Equipe - leaked by a mole - it is questionable given Domenech's lack of authority that Anelka would have been sent home, but there was no choice with it being made public.

Most squads would have accepted this as a normal disciplinary measure against a player who had overstepped the mark but not this revolutionary group of players who then stayed on the team bus - and refused to train.

"Going on strike was the decision of a group that felt isolated, that felt no one had protected it and that wanted to get a message across," said Hugo Lloris at the time and who was to be completely forgiven as Blanc named him captain. "We went way too far. It was a clumsy decision, a big mistake. It was totally stupid."

Agence France-Presse in Paris