Team: France

Henry out to silence critics

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Coach: Raymond Domenech
Captain: Zinedine Zidane
Winners: 1998, having previously flattered to deceive
Pitted against: Togo, South Korea and Switzerland
Prospects: If Henry can bring his Arsenal form to the party, France will prove a match for anyone.
Odds: 12-1

At this stage there is little Irish football fans don't know about France. Many don't even want to know. Supporters on these shores felt we had Les Blues on the rack during qualifying. Yet ultimately we fluffed it and, with absolutely no hint of va-va-voom, France sneaked it. We may well begrudge Zinedine Zidane et al, but, hey, at least they're not Switzerland, writes Paul O'Hehir

After a sluggish start to qualifying, in which France sat only mid-table after half a dozen games, Zidane, Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele came out of retirement to help secure the nation's ticket to Germany. The 'Three Musketeers' steadied a listing ship on their return and eased considerable pressure on under-fire manager Raymond Domenech who was drawing criticism from every quarter.

"It would be extremely silly to think we obtained qualification only thanks to Zidane," said Domenech, whose relationship with the great man could only be described as dicey at best. "But," the manager conceded, "his return did help a lot in terms of confidence as he is a charismatic leader."

Zidane, of course, has confirmed his (final) retirement after France's summer campaign. He, more than most, will hope to go out on a high and right the wrongs of the nation's miserable 2002 campaign when, as defending champions, France humiliated themselves by finishing bottom of a group containing Denmark, Senegal and Uruguay.

While not in charge back then, Domenech is, however, now living on borrowed time and will lose his job should France bottle it this time around. Many believe he has done little to progress a winning side inherited from Jacques Santini after Euro 2004. Wisely, then, Domenech is refusing to hype his team who, despite their sluggish demeanour through qualifying, not to mention some ageing bodies, must still rank among the favourites.

"There is no need to dream about the second round, the quarter-finals or even more," the manager said recently. "To have good reasons to dream, we first have to play and win. Caution and ambition are the key words but the objective remains to be in Berlin on July 9th."

Still, though, this French team is nearly out of puff and winning back the title they last won on home soil will be a tall order. Whatever about the ageing Musketeers, France is a nation rich with talent but still it relies heavily on Liverpool's erratic Djibril Cisse and, similarly, Jean Alain Boumsong, the Newcastle defender, whose performances are consistently average at best.

"I've been criticised a lot and I did not break down," Boumsong said recently. "Somehow, I thank my detractors. They pushed me to question myself and to improve. I'm stronger now."

Nevertheless, France still possess a number of gems. Arsenal's Thierry Henry was not at his fluent best during qualifying but still supplied a killer blow to Irish hopes with the match-winning goal at Lansdowne Road. Similarly David Trezeguet, if fit, can turn a match on its head while Lyon's Florent Malouda could play a key role. It is these players who will ultimately decipher Domenech's legacy.

World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez (Olympique Marseille), Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Nantes).
Defenders: Eric Abidal (Olympique Lyon), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Newcastle United), Pascal Chimbonda (Wigan Athletic), William Gallas (Chelsea), Gael Givet (Monaco) Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Mikael Silvestre (Manchester United), Lilian Thuram (Juventus).
Midfielders: Vikash Dhorasoo (Paris St Germain), Alou Diarra (Racing Lens), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Florent Malouda (Olympique Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Juventus), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid).
Strikers: Djibril Cisse (Liverpool), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Franck Ribery (Olympique Marseille), Louis Saha (Manchester United), David Trezeguet (Juventus), Sylvain Wiltord (Olympique Lyon).