WORLD CUP FINAL - FRANCE v ITALY - MATCH PREVIEW II - FRANCE
Andy Morgan

If the French ever needed more motivation for a World Cup Final than this then they will have it in the shape of talismanic midfielder Zinedine Zidane.

Lauded as France's best player over the last ten years, he formed an integral part of the 1998 World Cup winning side. He came back from retirement for this World Cup and almost single-handedly propelled France past both Spain and Brazil. When he's brilliant, France are too and he will be determined to bow out of football on a high.

His presence must not be underestimated. It motivated the French team at a time when they were performing poorly and confidence was low. Henry lauded his return by stating 'God exists and he has just returned to international football and to the France team' and few can doubt that God has been with Les Bleus ever since. This was the move that the French public demanded and at present, it looks like the right move.

Zidane's motivation cannot be questioned. He has been THE player for France this World Cup and all of the other French players will be working extra hard to ensure that he leaves on a high. He has the respect of his colleagues, his coach and the French public and even the most hardened Italian would bow his hat to the great man should France win.

Zidane's experience will be important in this game. He will not be phased by the pressure of this match as he has been here once before and if the captain can engender this spirit into some of the younger members of the squad then the French players may be more composed than their opponents.

The Italians are focussed on stopping Zidane playing, citing that as the key to their success. Zizou has confounded all critics in this tournament and Alessandro Del Piero, another great player reaching the end of his international career, has saluted the 'Champion' Zidane. Citing the inability of the Brazilians to take the ball off him, Del Piero is aware that his former Juventus teammate is the major threat to an Italian defence that has only conceded once all competition (and that was an own goal).

The Italians will not man-mark him however, stating that this is not how they play. They will keep an eye on him tightly however and it is up to Zidane how he will deal with this increased activity.

Another French stalwart who is retiring after this game is Lilian Thuram. The thirty-four year old, like Zidane and Chelsea's Claude Makelele decided to return to international football last year for one last hurrah although his inclusion generated much less media publicity than for the other two.

With 120 caps to his name including one obtained in the 1998 World Cup Final, he has the experience to be calm and collected in this Final and this could be vital in securing French victory. He has been an ever-present in the French backline during this tournament and although he is past his best, that backline has only conceded two goals in this campaign so he must be doing something right.

Thuram became the most capped French player ever in their Group match against South Korea and his knowledge of Italian football, borne out of ten years playing in Serie A will be vital if Domenech's men are to succeed. Thuram is acutely aware of the threat the Italian forwards pose but is not one to rest on his laurels, knowing that concentration is the key to France's winning the game. He has been in inspirational form since his return to the international set-up.

Yet many have forgotten him above the flair of Zidane. It is commonly accepted that had it not been for his composure then France would not be here at all. This vindicates Domenech's decision to play him despite facing fierce criticism from the French media who believed that Thuram was too old.

The defensive partnership between Thuram and Gallas, which is no older than this World Cup, is key to France winning this game but no one can argue with a mere two concessions so far and both read each other's games well. If this understanding is here against the Italians then it will be hard for them to break down the defensive unit.

French coach Raymond Domenech is likely to keep faith with the same team that started against Portugal, despite concerns being voiced in the French media about the tiredness of his squad. They looked flat against Portugal and limped their way to a 1-0 win, despite Portugal rarely troubling them. Domenech has defended his players however, stating that those between thirty and thirty-five years of age still have a lot to give for their country. He also said that being tired after a semi-final was normal and that they will all be refreshed for this game. However it may be a risk to play the same starting line-up due to this tiredness.

Another concern was the performance of Lyon left-back Eric Abidal against Portugal. Good going forward, defensively he was always second-best in the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo and it was from this side that most of the Portuguese attacks came. The inexperience of the twenty-six year old showed against Portugal although he has played every single minute of France's World Cup campaign so far. It will be harsh therefore to drop him but his fitness was lacking more than most on Wednesday evening making you wonder whether it would be worth Domenech to draft in Manchester United's Mikael Silvestre.

However Abidal will struggle against the impressive Gianluca Zambrotta and if he decides to push forward then Italy can expose Abidal's inexperience. The key to nullifying him is for Florent Malouda and Franck Ribery to pester him from the start, forcing the Italians on to the back foot and demonstrating their attacking threat. If they can do this then there will be less chance for the Italian's to race forward and therefore less opportunity for Abidal to be exposed.

The formation will be the same as that against Portugal, with Zidane sitting behind the lone striker Thierry Henry. This allows Zidane to push further forward and support Henry should he wish as well as win the ball out of defence. His holding role in the centre of midfield also permits the impressive Franch Ribery to push forward and whip dangerous crosses into the box, which has been a source of Henry's goals in the past.

The lone striker role may benefit the French because the Italian defence prefer to play against two strikers and mark them throughout. If Henry can adopt his usual floating role and attack Matterazi, the least experienced of the central defensive partnership then he may find a way to worm his way through. If his timing is right then he could get a few shots on Gianluigi Buffon's goal.

Should proceedings require a goal then this also allows David Trezeguet to come on and partner Henry up-front with Zidane sitting in a slightly deeper role. The two strikers played together at Monaco as kids but have yet to form anything convincing for the national side. However it does add an extra dimension to a multi-talenteed French squad. Louis Saha is suspended however after picking up a second yellow card in their defeat of Portugal.

Tactically the French must try and snuff out the link-up play between forward Francesco Totti and midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo has been another inspirational member of the Italian side and if the French let him play, his creativity and through-balls will punish them. If they can nullify his threat however, Totti will suffer as without the service, he looks a very ordinary player. There is a belief he is not fully fit and France must play on this to help them not concede.

The role of the third player to come back from international retirement to play in this World Cup, Claude Makelele, is vital here. The defensive midfielder, in his role of sitting just in front of the back four, will have the role of nullifying Totti, preventing any balls from reaching him. Discipline is the key here and he and Patrick Vieira must form a strong understanding in midfield if they want to thwart the combination play between Totti and Pirlo. Vieria must be quick to close-down the latter whilst also be aware of where Makelele is. If Makelele goes forward then Vieria must occupy the space that is created so Totti does not use this to his advantage.

If this is done then it will allow the French defence to absorb the threat from the attacking play of the Italian full-backs. When this is absorbed then Henry can steal in in the space that is created behind them and trouble the experienced Buffon in goal. Buffon meanwhile, is on a milestone himself. If he fails to succeed in the first sixty-three minutes of this game he will surpass the record for the number of minutes not conceding, which stands with fellow Italian Walter Zenga, who did not concede in 517 minutes in Italia 90.

There are goals throughout this Italian side however as ten players have scored the eleven goals they have notched up in ths tournament so far. The French must be very careful therefore not to focus just on Totti and Pirlo as if they do, they will undoubtedly be punished.

France's tactic will be one based largely on absorption. If Makelele and Vieria can contain Pirlo and Totti then they can pass the ball to Zidane who can, in turn, feed Ribery and Henry. It is a big ask for them to score past a defence as miserly as the Italian one but it is not beyond the realms of their talent.

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