MILAN, Aug 7 (AFP/ Internet): Chelsea's Gianfranco Zola admitted on Friday that he is still

deeply hurt by his World Cup snub and has little appetite for the national squad now in the hands of Dino Zoff.

After a disappointing league season with the Blues, Zola lost out to Roberto Baggio in the race to be an under-study to Alessandro Del Piero in Cesare Maldini's attack at France '98.

However. Zola's winner against England in qualifying had set Italy on course for the finals, and his late strike won the European Cup Winners' Cup for Chelsea shortly before Italy left for France.

And he admitted on Friday that being passed over by Mal-dini has not been easy to handle.

"It still hurts a lot. The pain is intense." Zola said.

"Maldini called me for the last time after the (Cup Winners' Cup) final and told me 'We haven't decided yet'. But I didn't hear from him again after that.

“It was my big chance, and one that won't come again.” said the 32-year-old. "USA '94 was a bit awkward for me, having been sent off against Nigeria, and I wanted to try again.

"But in football, as in life.

there are good times and bad times. They go in cycles, and you have to accept them."

But he agreed that at the time. Maldini's decision was not an easy one to accept.

"in times like that, you want to say everything that you feel inside." he said. "Then you think about it. and you decide to keep quiet.

"It was the same thing for

(Diego) Fuser. (Christian) Panucci and (Pierluigi) Caslr-aghl — all people who thought they would be going to France, who had been working to get to the World Cup finals.

The disappointment has clearly marked the Sardinian forward, who is putting thoughts of the new national squad under Zoff to one side and concentrating on his future in west London.

"Me in the national team? I've no idea what the new coach will be looking for," Zola said. I've become fairly embittered by the national side recently, so for the moment I am going to dedicate myself to Chelsea.

"It’s not by chance that Roberto Di Matteo and I have renewed our contracts. My one ends in 2002 and I hope that I will have the strength to play at this level for another four years."

As for Casiraghi, who is joining the Blues from Lazio. Zola had no doubts that he would quickly to adapt to his new life.

"He too will soon be won over by living in England," he told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

Zola was meanwhile due to meet his former teammates when Chelsea took on Parma in a friendly in Palermo on Friday evening.