Thierry Henry eyeing 2010 World Cup
Thierry Henry eyeing 2010 World Cup
The Arsenal captain and French striker will be 32 when the showpiece is held on the African continent.

London: France striker Thierry Henry has no plans to follow Zinedine Zidane into international retirement and hopes to lead Les Bleus attack in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The Arsenal captain will be 32 when the showpiece is held on the African continent for the first time but believes he has "five or six more years left" in his legs.

"Obviously Zidane stopped, and we don't know if (Lilian) Thuram is going to stop or (Claude) Makelele and (Fabien) Barthez also, we will have to see," Henry said.

"We have (Euro) 2008 first. South Africa would be amazing... if you can play the first World Cup in Africa that is something for the history of the game. I would love to but I don't know if my legs would allow me to be there. It's not that easy to be around in the game at 32 or 33. I think I will be going on 32, as a centre-forward its not real easy but we'll see."

Henry, who won his 85th international cap in the heartbreaking shootout defeat by Italy in last month's World Cup final, said it had been "difficult mentally" to get over but he took away more positives than negatives.

"It was a sad moment when we lost the final, we were all disappointed," said Henry, who was speaking at a Reebok sportswear launch on Thursday.

"But on the other side, what we have achieved after two years of being hammered by the press back home, reaching the final was a very good thing."

The Berlin final will be forever remembered for Zidane's moment of madness when he was sent-off for his head-butt on Italy defender Marco Materazzi, an act, Henry said, had been quickly forgiven.

"On holiday I couldn't walk in the street without having to talk about Zidane," he said.

"When you are in a team, stuff happens that you don't control but you have to accept. He is a team mate and we are going down with him, that's how it is. People will remember it for a long time and maybe that will stay with Zizou and I just think you can't let that happen because the guy is such a good guy, outside and on the pitch. For me he will remain one of the best players ever."

Henry is optimistic that France can build on their achievements in Germany but sounded a note of caution for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

"I guess everyone, after reaching the World Cup final is expecting us to cruise everywhere and win everything," he said.

"We will try to carry on with what we have built, but we have a tough group. We have (in Group B) Italy and Ukraine, also Scotland and that is not easy."

France start their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign away to Georgia on September 2.

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