"Why would people think of me retiring?", he said from his Libyan club, Al Ittihad.

"Cameroonians always think they know what's going to happen. But I will not leave the national team - I owe it to my country," he added in response to reports that he was quitting after the World Cup.

"I will leave the team when I no longer feel up to it or I become a burden."

But Mboma explained that there had been a mix-up, and the Cameroonian FA were unable to get in touch with him in Libya.

"Now they have all my details and I'm impatiently waiting for the next call-up", he said.

Trophy ambitions

The striker said he had been given a tremendous reception in Libya since making the surprise move from Parma at the beginning of the season.

"I still had a year left to play in Italy", he said. "But I admit that I made a choice based on financial considerations. I thought it was time to make absolutely sure of my future. It's true that it was pretty secure anyway, but you can never be too prudent".

Mboma's contract in Libya is for two years, with the object of getting Al Ittihad into the Champions League.

"If we're still in the hunt next year I'll stay until December, otherwise I'll leave in June."

Mboma said he has a year left on his contract at Parma, and has contacts in Europe that could keep him in one of Europe's big leagues.

He did not however, rule out a return to Japan when his time in Libya comes to an end.