A tactical build-up to the final

France: Coach Aime Jacquet is unlikely to change his regular system of playing four across the back despite the enforced absence of the suspended Laurent Blanc whose place should go to Franck Leboeuf.

Blanc and Marcel Desailly have both been outstanding in the centre of defence. Leboeuf does not possess Blanc’s creativity and will almost certainly stay back allowing Desailly a more free-wheeling, libero role.

Bixente Lizarazu, wide on the left, and Lilian Thuram on the right have worked tirelessly up and down their flanks and, unusually for full-backs, both have scored in the tournament. Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has been a solid influence.

Brazil: If there are any weaknesses in the team they are in central defence where Junior Baiano and Aldair do not possess the self-assurance and mobility of the French pair.

Coach Mario Zagallo’s usual 4-4-2formation relies heavily on full-backs Roberto Carlos and Cafu overlapping down the flanks. But their forays upfield can also leave the central defenders exposed Goalkeeper Taffarel has had a good, solid World Cup.

MIDFIELD

France: Zinedine Zidane is central to everything France create. Outstanding against Croatia in the semi-final, Zidane has linked superbly with Emmanuel Petit, the revelation of the French side during the tournament. When they have played well together, the French mid-field has been a hive of industry and creativity.

Captain Didier Deschamps’s short passes to Zidane and his pivotal role between defence and attack are also crucial to France’s options going forward. His battle-of-wills for control of mid-field with his opposite number Dunga will have a big influence on the game.

Brazil: Skipper Dunga controls the pace of his side’s attacks and the direction they come from. Almost everything is channeled through his central mid-field position.

He often changesthe point of attack with a short, incisive pass and with Cesar Sampaio playing alongside him on the right and Rivaldo, Leonardo or Roberto Carlos always available on the left, Brazil tend to dominate matches in which they control the mid-field.

One weakness is their tendency under Zagallo to play too deep when a goal up. They did that most noticeably against Scotland in the opening match — and let the Scots back into the game.

Leonardo has had a good tournament and his hard-running game, quite different to Dunga’s, gives Brazil another option.

ATTACK

France: Of the 12 goals France have scored, only five have come from their forwards. Jacquet’s teams usually plays in a notional 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 formation but his forwards are often invisible on the pitch.

With mid-fielder Youri Djorkaeff playing in a more attacking role, but with minimal success in most matches, and Stephane Guivarc’H often isolated and without a goal so far, French front-line is the least successful part of theunit.

Jacquet has used all six recognised attackers Bernard Diomede, Christophe Dugarry, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, David Trezeguet and Guivarc’H. But for one reason or another, injury or lack of form, they have failed to deliver.

Brazil: There is more to the forward line than just Ronaldo.He often takes one or two defenders with him, creating space for Rivaldo, Bebeto or Leonardo to exploit in the middle. with Blanc missing Brazil might well use more than usual. Ronaldo (4 goals), Bebeto (3) and Rivaldo (3) are all capable of taking advantage of defensive lapses, while Zagallo has another attacking ace up his sleeve in Denilson.