Jose Bosingwa quits Portugal amid feud with coach Paulo Bento

Bosingwa will not wear the shirt while Paulo Bento is in charge (GETTY IMAGES)

Jose Bosingwa will not play for Portugal while Paulo Bento is in charge, the Chelsea defender was quoted as saying by sports daily 'A Bola' on Tuesday.

"It pains me to say but while Paulo Bento remains as Portugal coach I won't put on the national shirt again," Bosingwa said.

Last week Bento explained that Bosingwa had not been called up for this month's Euro 2012 playoff against Bosnia because the fullback did not meet the necessary requirements, including "emotional and mental ones".

Bosingwa said he was bewildered by the coach's remarks.

"I feel offended and disrespected with these declarations about me... I don't understand what the coach meant by emotional and mental matters because I find it hard for a player to reach the level I've achieved by being weak in the points he mentioned," Bosingwa told the local Portuguese daily.

"I play for Chelsea in the Premier League, for many the best league in the world, and things are going very well for me in one of the hardest seasons we've seen in England in the last few years," he added.

The 29-year-old, who has 24 caps, has been a regular under coach Andre Villas-Boas at Chelsea this season.

Bosingwa also lashed out at Bento's past disciplinary record.

"I am proud of my path in the national team, in contrast to that of Portugal's coach who, in emotional and mental terms, left a lot to be desired in Euro 2000.".

Bento, a former holding midfielder, was handed a six-month suspension by European soccer's governing body UEFA for improper behaviour towards referees after a Euro 2000 semi-final against France 11 years ago.

Bosingwa said he felt like "another target" of Bento's and claimed the coach was "quarrelsome with the players".

Back in September, Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho announced his retirement from international football saying he had been disrespected.

Portugal face the first leg of their Euro 2012 playoff in Zenica on Friday and host the Bosnians four days later in Lisbon.

Reuters