Patrice Evra, who was dropped as France captain during the World Cup, acknowledged the squad's walkout from a training session at the tournament was a fiasco and apologized on behalf of the players.

Evra, in an interview broadcast yesterday by TV network TF1, said "the wound is open and we all are hurting right now" - but insisted the team needs to move on. Evra said the players wanted to show solidarity with striker Nicolas Anelka, who was sent home from South Africa after insulting the coach in a profanity-laced tirade reported by French media and later worldwide.