The France squad returned to training on Monday morning, a day after refusing to take part in a routine session in protest at the decision to send home Nicolas Anelka.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has now got involved, asking his sports minister Roselyne Bachelot to meet with the key people in the dispute.

She told TF1 television: "We are taking note of the indignation of the French people and calling for dignity and responsibility. It's not yet the right time to take disciplinary action but that time will come very soon."