Barthez to captain Bleus
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez will captain France in Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Ireland, after earning a recall to Raymond Domenech's side.
The 33-year-old Marseille stopper will earn his 72nd cap, and start his second game under new coach Domenech, having last lined out as captain in August's 1-1 friendly draw against Bosnia.
Domenech has reverted to a 4-4-2 formation for the visit of the Irish, with a lack of an obvious right wing specialist.
United defender Mikael Silvestre, the most experienced of the French rearguard with 34 caps, will make his first start since the Euro 2004 finals at left-back.
The AS Monaco centre-half pairing of Sebastien Squillaci and Gael Givet are kept together for a third consecutive game, with Chelsea's William Gallas on the right.
Sylvain Wiltord, who earned favourable reviews for his Champions League form with Lyon, also makes his first start since Euro 2004 but on the right side of midfield.
Twenty-year-old Angola-born Rio Antonio Mavuba of Bordeaux will earn his second cap alongside Olivier Dacourt in the centre with Robert Pires on the left.
With David Trezeguet and Ludovic Giuly unavailable due to injury, Domenech has gone for an Arsenal-Liverpool front two in the form of Thierry Henry and Djibril Cissé.
France adopted a 3-5-2 formation in their last qualifier - a 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands.
FRANCE (v Ireland): (4-4-2) Barthez (Capt); Gallas, Squillaci, Givet, Silvestre; Mavuba, Dacourt, Wiltord, Pires; Henry, Cissé.
