• World Cup

Tevez 'will not watch World Cup' if overlooked

ESPN staff
December 21, 2013
Carlos Tevez has not been involved for his nation in over two years © Getty Images
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Argentina striker Carlos Tevez claims he will not watch the World Cup if he is not part of coach Alejandro Sabella's plans for the summer.

Argentina have a host of top strikers to call upon, including Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain, but the former Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham United striker claims he will not be cheering his team-mates on if he is not involved.

"I have no problems with the group and I get on great with Messi. I don't lose sleep over the World Cup. I don't think I will watch it because it hurts me to see the national team, it's bad for me," he told Argentina's La Red radio station on Friday.

"If Sabella hasn't called me up, I'm not going to phone him to find out why he doesn't pick me.

"Sabella must not be asked to call me up... Let him work in peace because it's not easy for Sabella not to call me. I know there's a lot of pressure especially from fans."

Tevez was part of the Argentina teams that reached the quarter-finals of the last two World Cups in Germany in 2006 and South Africa in 2010, but last played for the side in the 2011 Copa America quarter-final defeat to Uruguay.

Sabella's men have been placed in Group F with Bosnia & Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria at next year's finals in Brazil, which begins on June 12.

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