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France
As the countdown to the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan continues, CNNSI.com's Pedro Pinto will take a closer look at all of the nations that will contend for football's greatest prize.
And who else to start with other than France, the defending world and European champions.
Pinto is an anchor on World Sport, the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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Since prehistoric times, France has been a European crossroads of trade, travel and invasion. France was one of the earliest countries to progress from feudalism into the era of the nation-state. In recent years France, the world's fourth largest economy, has largely displaced Germany (the third largest) as the most robust of the large EU economies.
Provided by CountryWatch.com
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Manager Roger Lemerre has it all at his disposal: a solid defense, an inspirational midfield and an efficient attack. There is an abundance of talent in this team, which has dominated the football world for the last three years.
The French have been known for their poise at the back, and that should not change in the finals, with Bixente Lizarazu and Lilian Thuram having been in top form of late. Willy Sagnol, Marcel Desailly and even Frank Leboeuf could feature in the starting lineup.
With such a line at the back, Lemerre normally deploys only one defensive midfielder (Patrick Vieira), with the other three men in the middle of the park enjoying freedom to exhibit their artistry. Everyone knows what Zinedine Zidane can do. It will be interesting to see who will be picked to fill the wings. Robert Pires and Laurent Robert are the top contenders.
Up front is where the mystery lies. Thierry Henry seems to be the No. 1 choice, but who will partner with him? There's Nicolas Anelka, who has been a shadow of himself over the last seasons, and there's David Trezeguet, who has always delivered when counted upon. You can also not forget about Sylvain Wiltord or even up-and-comer Djibril Cisse.
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Although Zizou is the magician, it is Patrick Vieira who picks out the spells. He is the man who dictates the rhythm of the French team. If the Arsenal maestro keeps his cool, he can take over a match by himself and inspire all of those around him.
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Weaknesses are hard to detect on this squad. Goalkeeping? Fabien Barthez is a phenomenal shot-stopper, but he can drift out of games and is not at his strongest in the air. Nantes' No. 1 Mickael Landreau could sneak in to take the starting spot.
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Nicolas Anelka. We've seen what he can do on the pitch when he is inspired, but the Paris Saint-Germain front man is selfish at times and quickly loses motivation if not given the right service. And he can be a disruption in the locker room as well.
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France qualified automatically as the defending World Cup champion.
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France was the World Cup champion at home in 1998. It has two third-place finishes (most recently in 1986), one fourth place ('82). It has missed the finals six times, most recently in 1994.
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France has risen to No. 1 in the FIFA rankings, and there is a reason for that. If at the top of their game, "Les Bleus" will be hard to beat. Definitely the favorite to win it all.
How far will France go in the World Cup? View Instant Poll Results
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