Adebayor was not back in time to be able to start Tottenham's first match after Togo's exit from the competition, against Newcastle.

"We'd made history by reaching the quarter-finals and I cannot just jump on the plane and come back to my club, because the president of the country wanted to see us," Adebayor said. "I am the captain so I have to be there.

"Financially I can get a private jet and come back to London [from South Africa] but I could not abandon my team. As captain it's not a good example."