Domenech lines up French World Cup squad

Published>Tue, May 25 10 01:17 PM

Tignes, France, May 25 (DPA) France defender and national squad captain William Gallas was declared fit to play in the World Cup, completing coach Raymond Domenech's 23-man line-up for South Africa.

'The 23 players (in the Tignes training camp) are the 23 for the World Cup,' Domenech said in a video posted late Monday on the website of the French Football Federation.

Domenech, who has until June 1 to officially name his squad, seems confident of Gallas' full recovery. The FC Arsenal centre-back has been hampered by a calf muscle injury since March.

The coach of the 2006 World Cup runner-up originally called 24 players to the first training camp in Tignes, an Alpine village located at an altitude of 2,000 metres, but midfielder Lassana Diarra was ruled unfit to play Saturday.

The Real Madrid player was 'fatigued' and suffered from gastric pain, Domenech said.

His squad in Tignes had proved that it was eager to play in the June 11 to July 11 finals, he added.

'We have deliberated for long time, but we trust the 23 players who are here,' said Domenech, who is to be replaced after the tournament by Girondins-Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc.

In its online edition, France Football magazine speculated that Domenech was to adopt a 4-3-3 system in South Africa. After Diarra was ruled out, the team has only two defensive midfielders at its disposal - Jeremy Toulalan and Alou Diarra.

The Equipe Tricolore is to leave Tignes for Tunisia after a friendly against Costa Rica Wednesday. France is to play host South Africa, Uruguay and Mexico in Group A.

France's 2010 World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon, France), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille, France), Cedric Carrasso (Girondins Bordeaux,France)

Defenders: Anthony Reveillere (Olympique Lyon); Bacary Sagna, William Gallas, Gael Clichy (FC Arsenal, England); Eric Abidal (FC Barcelona, Spain); Sebastien Squillaci (FC Sevilla, Spain); Patrice Evra (Manchester United, England); Marc Planus (Girondins Bordeaux)

Midfielders: Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Alou Diarra (Girondins Bordeaux), Florent Malouda (Chelsea, England), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich, Germany), Yoann Gourcuff (Girondins Bordeaux),

Abou Diaby (Arsenal)

Strikers: Thierry Henry (FC Barcelona, Spain), Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Djibril Cisse (Panathinaikos Athens, Greece), Sidney Govou

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