AT A GLANCE: France
by FOXSports.com
2002 Qualification: Automatically qualified as defending World Cup champions
Appearing in 11th World Cup Finals: 1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1966, 1978. 1982, 1986, 1998, 2002
Best World Cup Performance: World Cup Champions (1998)
Overall World Cup Record: 21-14-6
Major Honors: World Cup Champions (1998), Olympic Champions (1984), Two-time European Champions (1984, 2000), Confederations Cup Champions (2001)
Manager: Roger Lemerre (FRA)
Stars: Zinedine Zidane (M, Real Madrid), Thierry Henry (F, Arsenal), Marcel DeSailly (D, Chelsea)
Group A Opponents: Senegal, Denmark, Uruguay
Approximate Odds to Win World Cup: 5-1
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
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G Fabien Barthez, Manchester United (ENG)
D Lilian Thuram, Juventus (ITA)
D Marcel DeSailly, Chelsea (ENG)
D Bixente Lizarazu, Bayern Munich (GER)
D Frank LeBoeuf, Marseille (FRA)
M Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid (ESP)
M Patrick Vieira, Arsenal (ENG)
M Emmanuel Petit, Chelsea (ENG)
M Sylvain Wiltord, Arsenal (ENG)
F Thierry Henry, Arsenal (ENG)
F David Trezeguet, Juventus (ITA)
SUPERB ATTACK, VULNERABLE DEFENSE
France will have its share of questions to answer. The main one is whether they can they cope without their two real leaders: Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc.
Deschamps has retired and became coach of Monaco, while Blanc is playing in what should be his last year at Manchester United, and retired from the national team after Euro 2000.
Zinedine Zidane is the big gun, but he is not the man that shows the way. This is a chance for Patrick Vieira, but can he do it at the highest level?
France is also in Argentina?s part of the draw. Only one of them can make it to the final, and it?s very possible that they will meet early in the tournament.
It?s not going to be easy for the French, certainly not a one way trip to Yokohama. Let?s take a look at the players, and how they have done so far this year.
At goalkeeper, coach Roger Lemerre is still likely to go for in-and-out of form Fabien Barthez. The baldheaded goalie has hardly ever disappointed for the national team, but the first part of the current English season was a disaster. He made blunder after blunder, and seemed to have lost all his confidence.
Now he?s doing better, but he?s still not the Barthez he was in 2000, when he saved France a couple of times. A possible replacement is impressive young Lyon keeper Gregory Coupet, and there are other candidates to deputize should Barthez not fully regain his old form.
Lilian Thuram, very experienced, is a certain starter. He'll probably be at right-back, but don't be surprised if Roger Lemerre uses the Guadeloupe-born Thuram as a central defender.
Stopper Marcel Desailly has struggled with fitness and is far from his best, the World Cup could be a station too far for him.
At left-back Bixente Lizarazu is still option number one, with Vincent Candela, who can also play on the right, trying to get into the team.
Zidane is certain of a central role in midfield and can still get it done against anyone. If he succeeds in playing another major role, he must be considered among the greatest players of all time.
Patrick Vieira, most likely the new captain once Desailly quits the international scene, stands in for Didier Deschamps. He is big, strong and he can play. Tactically he?s no Deschamps and he loses his temper still a bit too often, but he has already made a big impact in the team.
Emmanuel Petit is still in contention for the second defensive spot in midfield. Although he hasn't played convincingly at Barcelona or Chelsea, Petit has been a constant factor for France during the years.
Arsenal?s Robert Pires would have been the creative man, and probably one of the big stars of the tournament. His injury opens the door for several others, most notably his Arsenal teammate Sylvain Wiltord.
Up front, France has finally found the strikers they were looking for. Four years ago, Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet were considered young and promising, now they are world stars.
Both are capable of scoring goals, Henry more as the man in motion, Trezeguet more the sheer finisher.
Compare them to the strikers France used in 1998: Guivarc?h, Diomede, Dugarry or even Djorkaeff. The new stars make a big difference. Either one could contend for the Golden Boot.
France should be able to win their group quite easily, although Denmark will be no push-over. Senegal can?t be a problem in the first match of the tournament, and Uruguay is always hard to beat, but France should be able to do so.
Courtesy of our friends at World Cup Archive
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