Les Bleus enter Euro 2008 in much the same way they started the World Cup of 2006. Despite their appearance in the Berlin final there are still major doubts over manager Raymond Domenech as well as their more experienced players who continue to dominate the side.

For Lilian Thuram and Claude Makalele this will almost certainly be their farewell to international football. Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka could also make their final appearances for the French at Euro 2008. For the remnants of the team that did the double of World Cup and European Championships this could be the last hurrah. But the main question surrounding Les Bleus is whether Domenech should unleash all his youngsters who may have the power and pace to reclaim the trophy won in Holland eight years ago.

The French continue to churn out future stars of world football. Young players with power, pace, skill and ability continue to be produced by a country that seems to have perfected how to grow footballers. (The strength of French football is illustrated by the embarrassment of riches at left back – Gael Clichy, one of the finest players of the last Premier League season did not even make the squad and Patrice Evra will be on the bench).

'A number of players are not in peak condition and Domenech seems reluctant to place his faith in youth'


Franck Ribery has taken the mantle of Zinedine Zidane. It has been a meteoric rise in two years for the Bayern Munich midfielder who was one of the best players in Europe this past campaign as the Bavarian club won the domestic double. But, besides Ribery many of the young stars are unlikely to start or play much of a role in the tournament.

The centre of midfield will be patrolled by Vieira (if fit) and Makalele, meaning there will be no place for the gifted Lassana Diarra, Jeremy Toulalan or Mathieu Flamini. In many ways the injury to Vieira could be a blessing in disguise for Les Bleus and Domenech.

The former Arsenal captain has not been the same player since he left England. A succession of injuries have left him a shadow of the player he was in his pomp. Flamini has made the breakthrough this season and must be one of the most feared defensive midfielders in world football.

Similarly in the attacking third of the field, whilst Ribery is the first name on the team sheet, Florent Malouda has not done enough to warrant a place in the side, yet Domenech sticks by him. The Chelsea left-winger blocks the way of young talent such as Samir Nasri who, on the back of his likely move to Arsenal, should be full of confidence which combined with young legs could be crucial during the tournament.

The battle between youth and experience being waged in the French squad is illustrated most clearly up front. Thierry Henry will definitely start (despite his patchy form for Barcelona this season) but there is no guarantee that Karim Benzema, arguably the hottest prospect in world football, will get many minutes.

France also hold one of the wild cards of the tournament. St Etienne striker Bafetimbi Gomis is the closest thing to Didier Drogba that the football world has seen since the Ivorian’s rise to prominence. Gomis scored two in a friendly last week on his debut against Paraguay, the first was a stunning strike, and he could take the competition by storm if unleashed. France have struggled to put away chances in their recent friendly games. Benzema and Gomis could be the key to finishing off teams.

All the signs point to France starting the tournament slowly. A number of players are not in peak condition and Domenech seems reluctant to place his faith in youth. Les Bleus cannot afford a slow start, the “Group of Death” holds no easy games and Romania, Italy and Holland will all be aiming to get off the mark quickly.

Les Bleus play Italy in their final group game. If Group C lives up to its moniker this could well see one of the heavyweights drop out the tournament, and France, who will be gunning for revenge, will be buoyed by their 3-1 win over the Azzurri in qualifying.

The unlikely final appearance in the 2006 World Cup final illustrated just how brilliant the Zidane generation was. In the intervening two years Raymond Domenech has done nothing to suggest that he knows how to take the national team forward and his true test will come in Austria and Switzerland.

The French coach will either regret not playing his most talented up and coming players, or, as with Vieira’s injury, he will be forced by circumstance to unleash Diarra, Nasri, Benzema and Gomis.

Is Domenech a tactical genius, a lucky manager or is he just not up to the job? We should get some answers in the coming weeks.