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SWC snub still haunts Tevez

Buenos Aires - Carlos Tevez has admitted he is still suffering after being overlooked by Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella for the World Cup and intends to ignore the four-week long tournament.

The 30-year-old was discarded from the Argentine set-up after missing a penalty in his country's quarter-final Copa America exit at the hands of eventual winners Uruguay three years ago.

And he said he won't even be watching when the World Cup kicks-off with hosts Brazil playing Croatia on Thursday.

"I'm not watching anything, I don't know how the (Argentina) squad is doing, I've not heard from the group, I don't know anything about anything," said Tevez at a press conference at the Boca Juniors stadium, where he began his football career.

"I'm with my family, I'm playing golf, getting some sun. I'm isolated because I'm a footballer and it hurts.

"I'm not watching what's happening, nor what's going on around (the team), nor anything to do with the World Cup."

Tevez was in fine form this season, his first for Juventus, finishing top scorer for the club with 19 goals as they won their third straight Serie A title.

It was Tevez's fourth title in six years having claimed three Premier League crowns with Manchester United in 2008 and 2009, and Manchester City in 2012.

Sabella has always refused to broach the subject of Tevez's omission but has kept faith with his quintet of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Rodrigo Palacio.

Tevez rejected claims from Argentine legend Diego Maradona that his exclusion from the national team was due to a bust up he had with Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona and his right-hand man Carlos Bilardo.

"I haven't had any problems with Bilardo, I've never met him, I don't know why Diego said this, he has his reasons," said Tevez.

"But we mustn't go looking for problems where there aren't any, it's the coach's decision and nothing more."

Tevez left Manchester City a year ago, two years after trying unsuccessfully to orchestrate a move away from the club for "family reasons" and his desire to move closer to his home country.

Although he went on to settle in Turin, he says he still dreams of a return home to Boca.

"I don't know if it's far away but in any case, I still have a bit of gas left. When I see the chance to come back to the club that I love, I'll do it," he said.

"I miss day by day coming to training with joy, knowing that I'm in my country, at home, I miss everything about Boca."

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