The World Cup? It's my mission, says French coach Domenech

Jun 11, 2006, 0:16 GMT

Hameln, Germany - French team coach Raymond Domenech opened up to the press for the first time in the immediate tournament run-up Saturday, declaring 'I have only one mission - to win the World Cup.'

He added: 'It may be that other teams are better than us, but they'll have to prove it.' The key factor, he said, was the spirit coursing through his squad.

'All are well aware that its the collective alone that will succeed i na tournament like this. All 23 players will pull together and fulfil their dream.'

There was a note of caution about Switzerland, the opponents in their Group G opener on Tuesday. 'They have a good team that'll give us problems. But we'll be giving them problems, too.'

The 54-year-old coach was keeping his cards close to his chest about whom he would field, but who has an injury-free squad except for Florent Malpouda of champions Olympique Lyon.

He was also saying little about what the injury was - citing French law that says only a patient can give information about an illness or injury affecting himself.

He was talking about Patrick Vieira, though, challenging the criticism the Juventus midfielder's comparatively poor form has produced of late.

'I don't understand the critics,' Domenech said. 'I know his qualities, and I know that he'll be on form for this tournament.'

Nine thousand local fans turned out earlier for a public training session in the town of the Pied Piper, where a person clad as that legend played the squad a welcoming 'Marseillaise', and the crowd went on to cheer every shot by veteran star Zinedine Zidane.