France has something to prove -- at Italy's expense

The team senses something special, just like it did eight years ago.
HAMELN, Germany (AP) -- French players are hoping their will to win a second World Cup carries them at least as far as their aging legs.
A team that has become mentally tough appears now to be peaking physically.
Still, France hopes it doesn't have to test its motto in Sunday's final against Italy: "We all have to die together."
After barely qualifying for Germany and laboring through the first few games, it seemed France might succumb in the first round, just like its embarrassing exit of 2002.
"It is true that for a long time already, it was, 'Either we do it together or we perish very fast,' " France coach Raymond Domenech said Thursday, the day after beating Portugal 1-0 in one semifinal.
Old legs reinvigorated
Stocked with veterans from the 1998 championship team, France struggled on old legs early in the tournament. But when they started to sense another final, Les Bleus were the team of old with Zinedine Zidane dominating as he did eight years ago.
"We have an iron will," said defensive midfielder Patrick Vieira, "and we don't want to stop here."
Five French starters are 30-something, including Vieira, but Domenech believes they will be ready to play their seventh match in just four weeks. France has one fewer day of rest, but Italy had to endure 30 minutes of injury time to beat Germany 2-0 on Tuesday.
"They may be tired but the final gives you wings," Domenech said. "It is the belief that makes the difference."
France doesn't have to believe it can beat Italy -- that's what it did 2-1 for the Euro 2000 title, its last major achievement.
This tournament, Italy has conceded just one goal -- an own-goal at that.
"They are very strong," defender Lilian Thuram said. "It will be a very tough match. At the start of the competition, I thought they would go very far."
The final comes after an amazing turnaround.
The club was long burdened by the "ghosts of Senegal." The African nation beat France in the opener of the 2002 World Cup, and Les Bleus never recovered. For the first time, a defending champion failed to make the second round and failed to score a single goal.
2006
Many were fearing a repeat, but after drawing with Switzerland and South Korea, France beat lightly regarded Togo to reach the second round.
At that point, they began to play like a team set free.
France rallied to beat Spain 3-1 with a convincing second-round performance, and played a brilliant match to eliminate defending champion Brazil 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
The final will be memorable for at least one reason: it will be Zidane's last game. He will retire from all competitive soccer on Sunday.
Eight years ago, Zidane scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Brazil to become the iconic player of the tournament. If he wins again, it will be no different.
Thuram and midfielder Claude Makelele will also play their last match.
"First and foremost," said forward Thierry Henry, "everybody sticks together."
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