Henry in Les Bleus admission

Thierry Henry is a footballer who is not used to failure but France's place at the World Cup in South Africa next summer is in no way guaranteed.  Les Bleus trail group seven leaders Serbia by four points with just two games remaining and it is starting to look increasingly likely they will have to get through a play-off to secure their spot at the World Cup.

French boss Raymond Domenech has understandably come in for some criticism but Barcelona striker Henry believes the blame should be placed on him and his teammates.

"If we don't go to the World Cup everyone will suffer," Henry told French newspaper L'Equipe. "But it's all our fault.

"It's up to us to give back to people the desire to believe in this team.

"I said before that we lacked a reference match. Even though we didn't win, the one in Serbia could be that."

France managed to secure a 1-1 draw against the Serbians in their last qualifying match.  The 1998 World Cup winners were reduced to ten men during that fixture and did well to earn themselves a draw, a result which kept their slim automatic qualification hopes alive.  Henry believes that result delivers proof that there is a desire and team-spirit with the French camp.

He added: "The way the match was leaves me thinking that this team has a spirit. This team is looking for itself, I hope it finds it."

With the likes of Argentina, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Germany and Russia all yet to secure their place at the tournament the competition in South Africa could be missing some of the most illustrious names in world football.  A world cup without Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would be disappointing, but they are young enough to play in the next two or three tournaments.  In Henry's case, South Africa, should the French make it, will almost certainly be his last major international tournament and definitely his last World Cup as he is 32-years-old.

It would be a massive upset to the football World Cup betting odds if the French failed to qualify for the tournament.  Their situation has not been helped by reports of a bust up between the under-fire Domenech and the squad but Henry insisted these stories were fabricated.

He said:  "There was a discussion as there are in all the dressing rooms in the world, but no one raised their voice. There was no clash."

I would seem a safe online World Cup football bet that Domenech will lose his job should France fail to qualify for the tournament. The tournament in South Africa could well be the last time we get to see the likes of Henry, Nicolas Anelka, David Trezeguet, Patrick Vieira and Eric Abidal in a major tournament and it would be a shame for such established and decorated players to miss out next summer.