Desailly ponders Henry substitution

Former France defender Marcel Desailly questioned Raymond Domenech’s decision to take off Thierry Henry during the World Cup final defeat to Italy.

Henry appeared to be struggling with a hamstring injury but Desailly believes Henry should have been kept on if at all possible to take a penalty.

Italy then won the shoot-out 5-3, with David Trezeguet rattling the crossbar with his spot-kick.

Desailly said: “The game, as we knew it would be, was about whose nerve would collapse and France didn’t find the power to go forward and make a difference - you saw the coach taking off Thierry Henry and you have to think about penalties sometimes.”

France took the lead through a penalty Zinedine Zidane, who was later sent off for a headbutt on Marco Materazzi.

Desailly, who won the trophy in 1998, added on BBC1: “The thing worrying is that Marco Materazzi didn’t show he was upset.”

Materazzi had equalised with a header in the first half.