Test your football knowledge in our World Cup Quiz

France & Marseille Keeper Barthez Injured. Former Man Utd No.1 Could Be Out For World Cup Preparations

Submitted by Scott Harkness on Mon, 13/03/2006 - 14:58.

France & Olympique Marseille goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has been injured while playing for his club, and may be out for France Coach Raymond Domenech’s World Cup warm-up plans.

Marseille keeper Barthez went off injured in the 86th minute of the 2-0 home win over St Etienne in Championnat Ligue 1 on Sunday, and the extent of the injury will be known after tests, due on Monday.

Barthez, who is competing with Olympique Lyon's Gregory Coupet for the number one jersey for France at the World Cup in Germany in June, limped off with what appeared to be an injury to his left leg and was replaced by Cedric Carasso.

Former Manchester United keeper Barthez helped France win the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, but his erratic style has left many in France questioning if he should still be French no.1.

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.

However, 33-year-old Gregory Coupet has proved to be a reliable replacement for Barthez, and France were struggling in qualification for the World Cup during the early stages, but since the emergence of Coupet France qualified top of their group ahead of the Republic of Ireland and Israel for the World Cup Finals in Germany.

Updates on Fabien Barthez’s injury to come.