© Reuters 2002

MEXICO CITY, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Jose Cardozo, who broke the Mexican championship's goalscoring record last Saturday, is threatening to turn his back on Paraguay's national team because of a row over his failure to play in last week's friendly in Spain.

Paraguay threatened to protest to FIFA because they said the striker pulled out of the match telling them he was injured, but then played for his club side Toluca in a Mexican championship match hours later.

"I will quit for ever if they protest," said Cardozo, who played for Paraguay in the last two World Cups. "Because if they protest, it will harm me and it will harm Toluca and that is something I cannot permit."

Cardozo scored twice in Toluca's 6-0 win over UAG on Saturday to take his goal tally to 20, a record since Mexico began in the mid-1990s the current system under which two championships are played every year.

The 31-year-old striker reached his total in only 14 games and still has five more to add to his tally.

"I have never refused to play for Paraguay," he said.