Three-and-a-half years and many colourful remarks later, Nicolas Anelka is set to pull on a France shirt again in Martinique on Wednesday. Channel4.com takes the opportunity to look back at some of the Frenchman’s classic foot-in-mouth moments.

Talented but poorly advised. A nice guy, misled by two money-grabbing brothers. These are common conceptions that have followed Anelka around ever since he turned his back on Arsenal in 1999.

Yet a quick a glance at some of his not-so-tactful comments through the years suggests that his mouth, rather than his footballing ability, has limited the striker to just 28 international caps.

THE ANELKA GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL EXILE: 

“I’d like to thank Roger Lemerre for not taking me to the World Cup in Asia. Considering France's catastrophic performances, I’m glad that I avoided that one.”
- Anelka gets warmed up with this sly remark in September 2003.

“If he gets down on his knees in front of me and apologises, then I will think about [returning to the France side].”
- he delivers his first true classic to France's bemused Coach Jacques Santini in October 2003.

“I am not going to accept being selected as the reserve of a reserve.”
- Offered a reprieve by Santini, Anelka gives his France chances a really hard kick in the teeth by rejecting a late call-up following Sidney Govou's injury, October 2003.

“I know why I'm not in the France team and it’s got nothing to do with football. Because of my personality people do not show faith in me. If Raymond Domenech only wants to pick nice people, then he is free to do that. He’s got his team, his players, and that’s all there is to it. He’s had a black list from the start.”
- The change of Coach post-EURO 2004 fails to cheer up poor old Nico, November 2004.

“I don’t think I’ll be playing for France again so long as Domenech is in charge. Even if there were 60,000 players injured he wouldn’t take me.”
- Steve Marlet's shock recall puts Super Sulk in a huff, April 2005.

“I was first-choice at Arsenal at the time, but [Domenech] didn’t even pick me for the Under-21s. So in 1998 I ended up going straight from the Under-18s into the full France squad with Aimé Jacquet. I don’t think that can have happened too often!”
- Probably not. April 2005.

“It makes me laugh when I see that there are strikers in England who don’t score any goals but still get called up.”
- Anelka boosts Djibril Cissé's confidence before the make-or-break World Cup showdown with Switzerland, October 2005. It does the trick - Cissé scores.

“For a long time now I have not needed to think about the France team in order to feel happy.”
- The same goes for most French people. October 2005.

“This call up is obviously an honour for me.”
- November 2006... Hang on... That doesn't sound right?! Or maybe, just maybe, at 26 Nicolas Anelka is finally starting to grow up. To be continued...?