GROUP A / FRANCE

*--* World Cup record: Played 78 (48-16-14); goals for: 162; goals against: 103 Best finish: Champion, 1998 1998 showing: Defeated Brazil, 3-0, in the final to win it all Coach: Roger Lemerre. Was an assistant on the 1998 World Cup-winner and inherited a team that, if anything, has grown even stronger since then Players to watch: Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira, Djibril Cisse In brief: Since its victory at Paris four years ago, the world champion has won the 2000 European Championship and the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. The question is whether erratic goalkeeper Fabien Barthez can avoid a costly blunder once the knockout phase is reached Quick quote: “We are not pretentious and we are not developing a superiority complex, but we know that we have a quality team.”-- Zidane Forecast: If it can keep clear of injuries (Zidane will miss the opener) and overcome South American opposition in the later rounds, France can become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to repeat as champion

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