He was suspended for 18 games yesterday in Paris, one of four players banned by the French soccer federation for a World Cup mutiny that was criticized by President Nicolas Sarkozy and underlined an embarrassing first-round exit.

The federation also handed suspensions — subject to appeal — to former captain Patrice Evra (five games), Franck Ribery (three games), and Jeremy Toulalan (one game). Eric Abidal, the fifth player at the four-hour hearing, escaped punishment.

Anelka’s suspension is expected to last nearly two years. By the time the 2012 European Championship comes around, he will be 33 and possibly too old to make the team — if the French qualify.

“[The players] are a bit bruised by the way things unfolded,’’ said Jean Mazzella, president of the disciplinary commission. “They didn’t think it would take on the proportions that it has, that’s for sure.’’

The players already have been punished financially, with the federation withholding World Cup bonuses.

All 23 players on the World Cup squad boycotted a training session in South Africa to protest Anelka’s expulsion after he insulted then-coach Raymond Domenech during a 2-0 loss to Mexico.

The federation called only the five players who played a leading role in the strike. Ribery and Anelka — whose locker-room outburst triggered the protest — sent lawyers. Ribery, vice captain at the World Cup, did not attend the hearing because Bayern Munich refused to release him before its opening Bundesliga game Friday.

Young Boys went up, 3-0, after 28 minutes on their artificial pitch at the Stade de Suisse in Bern, Switzerland, last night before Tottenham scored twice to get back into the two-game qualifying playoff. The return match is Aug. 25.

Zilina, Zenit St. Petersburg, and Rosenborg also won playoff openers in European soccer’s elite club competition. Dynamo Kiev rallied to tie four-time champion Ajax, 1-1.