Coach Raymond Domenech has played down his row with Nicolas Anelka and insists the exiled striker could have stayed with the French team had he apologised.
Anelka was sent home on Saturday after verbally insulting Domenech during the defeat by Mexico which has left France unlikely to qualify for the last 16.
"I had another chat with him and left open the possibility for him to apologise," said the 57-year-old.
"[That was] something which he did not want to do."
Chelsea forward Anelka was substituted after reportedly insulting Domenech after the coach criticised him for straying out of position during the goalless first half of last Thursday's 2-0 defeat.
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He did not react in the most suitable fashion. But it was just a guy sitting in his corner and muttering
Raymond Domenech
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But Domenech insisted the incident could have been dealt with without such damaging repercussions, had a leak to the media not escalated the problem.
"People cannot imagine the pressure," said Domenech, who took France to the final of the last World Cup in 2006.
"We are in a dressing room, the coach says something to a player who is already under pressure, he can react angrily, and with strong words.
"He did not react in the most suitable fashion. But it was just a guy sitting in his corner and muttering - that would not have mattered had it stayed there.
"What was important was that it made the front page of a newspaper, and that exposes the internal life of the squad."
He continued: "I sorted out the problem internally, and as far as I was concerned it was done and dusted.
"[But] the decision to exclude him was the right one. I am sorry for the children for whom the French team represents something. Anelka does not have the right to say such things."
Anelka's Chelsea team-mate John Terry, who is playing for England in South Africa, said he disagreed with the decision of the French Football Federation to send the former Arsenal and Real Madrid player home.
"As a person, you won't find a better man in football," he said.
"He's someone who's very quiet, obviously he's been in the game a long time, and he knows his football. If Nico had something to say to me, I'd stand up and listen.
"It's obviously the wrong decision. He's a great player as well."
Domenech has now led France for a record number of matches but his six-year stint as coach has been consistently controversial and he will be replaced by out-going Bordeaux boss Laurent Blanc once their World Cup is over.
That will happen on Tuesday, unless they convincingly beat hosts South Africa in their final Group A encounter - and Uruguay and Mexico do not draw the other match.
Highlights - France 0-2 Mexico
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