France national head coach Raymond Domenech will wait until the last minute before announcing whether Marseille's Fabien Barthez or Lyon's Gregory Coupet will be France's first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup.

France soccer fans firmly believe Olympique Lyon's Gregory Coupet should be France's first-choice goalkeeper for the 2006 World Cup after Coupet grabbed more than two thirds of the vote in a public poll, against the current no.1 choice for Raymond Domenech's Les Bleus, Fabien Barthez.

In an opinion poll published by France Football magazine in February, 69 percent of those polled expressed their desire for Coupet to be first-choice, while only 28 percent said Olympique Marseille's Fabien Barthez should remain in goal.

34 year-old Barthez has been France's number one since Les Bleus triumphant 1998 World Cup campaign and was a key member of the Euro 2000 winning team.

But 33-year-old Coupet, who has helped Gerard Houllier's Lyon to four consecutive French Championnat titles, has now claimed the position

Both men have been engaged in a fierce battle to secure the number one shirt in Germany, with many in France insisting Lyon custodian Coupet has developed into a better shot-stopper than Barthez.

Domenech will announce his 23-man squad in May but is expected to wait until the eve of France's opening game against Switzerland on June 13 before making an announcement on who will play in goal.

"My decision will turn out to be a normal and logical one at the best possible moment," Domenech said.

"We will discuss with the goalkeepers and gradually we will come to a conclusion.

"This should not be felt as a punishment for either of them, but a choice will have to be made and the deadline for it is June 13 at 6pm."

The French boss, who took over from Jacques Santini following France's disappointing performance at Euro 2004, reiterated his ambition to lift the prestigious trophy on July 9.

"What counts the most is what will happen in Germany," he said. "We will all be together to play top level matches and win the competition.

"It will be a great battle for a month and we will have to be efficient. We will enjoy ourselves and win."

Despite a stuttering qualifying campaign and the 2-1 defeat to Slovakia in March, Domenech is convinced Les Bleus enough fire-power.

"The French team does not necessarily have something more than the other teams but they certainly don't have anything less," said Domenech.

"The World Cup cannot be reduced to individual talents, if that was the case we would have won it in 2002.

"The winners will be those who believed in their chances the most and who will be the most determined."

France play in Group G along with Switzerland, Togo and South Korea.

They will also face Mexico, Denmark and China at the end of May in three friendlies ahead of the World Cup.