Zidane captain once more

Zinedine Zidane will walk straight back into the France captain's role.

Zinedine Zidane will walk straight back into the captain's role when France take on the Ivory Coast later this month, according to coach Raymond Domenech.

Zidane, 33, is just one of a host of high-profile players to have been in international retirement since Les Bleus crashed out of the Euro 2004 quarter finals to eventual winners Greece.

But the Real Madrid star will make his return, along with Chelsea's Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram, in time for next summer's World Cup - should they reach the finals stage.

"Zidane is the captain," Domenech told French television TF1.

The French coach dismissed criticism that the players were returning at an opportune time, adding: "The essential thing is that the players want to come back.

"Last year they were worn out and fed up. I cannot understand that some people do not believe the blue shirt can miss a high-profile player."

When Thuram was asked to confirm his international return he said simply: "I am coming back.

"Coach Domenech asked me many times to come back but I had always told him no.

"But the last time we saw each other he explained to me that his duty was to call up the best players to build the strongest team and that for this season he would have called me up.

"I can't say no to the national team, because that jersey gave me a lot and I can't refuse."

France lie fourth in Qualifying Group Four and face a tough away fixture at leaders Republic of Ireland on September 7.