Kicked out: 4 past players who have been sent home from World Cups

Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic was sent home from the 2018 World Cup in Russia on Monday after refusing to come on as a substitute against Nigeria, citing a back injury.

Sending a player packing is a drastic action to take - particularly when, as in Croatia's case, it leaves your squad rather bare in the attacking department.

It's not the first time it's happened though, and it won't be the last. Here are some notable past examples of players getting the boot during the world's biggest footballing spectacle.

Willie Johnstone, Scotland, 1978

Johnstone, a tricky winger at West Bromwich Albion at the time of the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, was named to Ally MacLeod's squad and even played the entirety of the opening game against Peru. However, it was then found he had tested positive for a banned substance and was expelled from the squad. He never played for Scotland again.

Diego Maradona, Argentina, 1994

Surely the most high-profile case. Maradona, unanimously regarded as one of the finest footballers in history, had captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986 and another final four years later. In the U.S. in '94, however, his tournament ended in disgrace when, after playing his nation's opening two games (even scoring once), he failed a doping test and was sent home. Argentina subsequently crashed out in the first knockout round, and Maradona's international career was over.

Roy Keane, Republic of Ireland, 2002

In 2002, Ireland was tipped for a solid showing in Japan and South Korea, largely because it had midfield pitbull Keane as its captain. The Manchester United man had been influential in his country's qualification but a messy saga subsequently unfolded. Keane, unhappy with the squad's training camp, threatened to walk, was temporarily convinced to stay, and then ultimately made his own position untenable with a now-famous expletive-filled rant at manager Mick McCarthy. Ireland still escaped a group containing Germany, but would lose in heartbreaking fashion on penalties to Spain in the last 16.

Nicolas Anelka, France, 2010

Anelka was 12 years into a France career which had already yielded 50 caps and 12 goals by the time he went to South Africa eight years ago. After playing in the first game, a 0-0 draw with Uruguay, he was sent home after being substituted at half-time of the defeat to Mexico in Game 2. The cause of his withdrawal and dismissal was a rather Keane-esque tirade directed at Raymond Domenech in which Anelka is reported to have said to his manager: "Go f--- yourself, you son of a wh---." That'll probably do it, Nic.

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