Goalkeepers:
1. GREGORY COUPET (No.23), Age 38
          That's right, Grego Coupet will still be around in South Africa 2010, he still has his own chapter to write in the history of the FFF. He will be 37-38 then, some three/four years above the "accepted" age of a footballer. But goalkeepers have greater longetivity, and, as exampled by Kahn in Germany 2006, being 38 is no detriment to performance on the upmost level.

2. MICKAEL LANDREAU (No.1), Age 30
          Poor Mickael. Ever since his first cap he has been picked as third-choice goalkeeper, and now with Barthez gone, the penalty specialist will be second to Coupet only due to his lack of experience with the national team. His only chance of being the No.1 will be if radical changes are made a la Klinsmann.

3. ??? OPEN
        This slot is entirely open, but my money is on current Bleuets goalkeeper Steve Mandanda (age 25 in 2010), simply because he has national team experience at the youth level.

Defenders:
1. WILLY SAGNOL (No.19), Age 32
        Vastly experienced and extremely reliable, Sagnol's place in the team is almost guaranteed. It is impossible to imagine the France team without Sagnol patrolling the right flank. Besides, he still has to score a goal for Les Bleus.

2. PATRICE EVRA (No.6), Age 29
       Evra is not getting enough playing time at Manchester United, but with Mickael Silvestre ageing quickly and looking more unstable than ever, Evra's spot also seems secured. There are few France defenders out there more talented, more consistent than Patrice Evra, and I think he will take Thuram's place as defensive anchor.

3. WILLIAM GALLAS (No.5), Age 32
       He is one of the best defenders in the Premierleague right now, and there are no signs of this proficiency flagging or detoriating. France's defensive solidity will revolve around his experience.

4. ERIC ABIDAL (No.3), Age 30
       An excellent, speedy left-back who performed admirably at the World Cup 2006, Abidal might lose his place to the younger Berthod, Clerc, or even Clichy, but again, experience is a huge factor, and he will retain his place.

5. GAEL GIVET (No.17), Age 28
       A logical replacement for Sagnol. Givet will still stick around.

6. JEREMY BERTHOD (No.2), Age 26
       Berthod is extremely versatile, able to play center-back or left-back. He has had top-flight experience with Olympique Lyon, and national team familiarity with Les Bleuets in Portugal. Berthod may even pip Gallas to the starting eleven if the latter lacks in alertness.

7. MATHIEU FLAMINI (No.15), Age 26
       France has plenty of left-backs: Francois Clerc, Gael Clichy, are all possible contenders, and yet, thanks to his Champions League ventures with Arsenal in the '05-'06 season, Mathieu Flamini beats them all as Eric Abidal's replacement. He is one of the most flexible players in the game, able to play left-back, defensive midfield or even as full center-back, and this alone adds a new dimension to the squad. Flamini will play an integral part in this team, and having long been considered an average, abysmal player, he has matured under Arsene Wenger's guidance at Arsenal.

Midfielders:
1. FRANCK RIBERY (No.22), Age 27
        Who could say no to Ribery's inclusion in the French team? For a player who began his career in third division, unnoticed and disregarded, his rise to stardom has been nothing less than incredible. He is capable of tormenting defenders with his pace and technique not only in Ligue 1, but also on the highest level, as proven by his performances in Germany. Ribery is indeed the new Zidane, and he will be at the center of French creativity.

2. LASSANA DIARRA (No.10), Age 25
       The new Claude Makelele. Lassana Diarra is the gem of this squad, and in addition to his reliability in the famous defensive role, he is not afraid to surge forward with the strikers, occasionally trying his luck with long distance shots. He will also be a key asset to France's squad.

3. PATRICK VIEIRA (No.4), Age 32, captain
       Germany 2006 was the fuse needed to ignite Vieira's flagging career, and he is now on top of his game. His leadership skills have been proven at Arsenal, and he meets all the criteria for claiming the captain's armband. Vieira will definitely still be around at the age of 32: he is immortal.

4. JEREMY TOULALAN (No.8), Age 27
       Toulalan was extremely impressive with Les Bleuets in Portugal, and his recent switch to Olympique Lyon will provide him with Champions League experience. One of the great talents in France right now, there is no question that the 23-year-old will prove his worth by the time 2010 rolls around.

5. FLORENT MALOUDA (No.7), Age 29
      How could you say no to France's workhorse midfielder? Malouda was an integral part of the 2006 squad and will carry his duties into 2010. However, he may lose his place in the starting eleven to Toulalan.

6. ALOU DIABY (No.18), Age 23
      Diaby! He is the next Patrick Vieira, and his appearances for Arsenal have been impressive to date. Under Wenger's guidance he will mature very much in the same way as Vieira did in 1997. The Arsenal manager has a famous ability to pick out the very best talents; and Diaby is amongst one of his most valuable finds. He will be of great importance if Vieira is slowed down by age.

7. YOANN GOURCUFF (No.13), Age 27
     I am not really sure about Gourcuff, but he certainly has potential, especially after being snapped-up by AC Milan.

8. RIO ANTONIO MAVUBA (No.21), Age 24
     Rio Antonio Mavuba is the archetypal center-midfielder, a player who plays with a hint of the Zidane element. He will be especially important in terms of creativity, an area that the new generation should not be lacking in. Already lauded and even capped by Domenech, Mavuba is destined to become a star at the World Cup.

9. HATEM BEN ARFA (No.11), Age 23
     Hatem Ben Arfa would have already made a huge impact on the top-flight stage had it not been for a disastrous collarbone injury he picked up in Lyon's title-winning campaign. Arfa is one of those two or three players proclaimed as rightful successor to Zidane, and I really think he will be able to prove his worth in the four years leading up to the World Cup.

Strikers:
1. THIERRY HENRY (No.12), Age 32
    Titi is immortal.

2. DJIBRIL CISSE (No.9), Age 28
    Missing out on the World Cup two days before the first game was cruel at the very least. Cisse, a consistent performer for France, will come-out all guns firing in South Africa.

3. FLORENT SINAMA-PONGOLLE (No.20), Age 26
    He will be the successor to David Trezeguet. Trezeguet himself will probably fall out of favor with the coach and miss the World Cup, as his current form suggests. I would love to see Trezegol continue his Les Bleus career and finish in glittering style, but it seems impossible at the moment. Sinama-Pongolle is a proven striker, and his future is looking bright.

4. SAMIR NASRI (No.14), Age 23
   Nasri is a revelation. He has the potential to build a great career for himself, and I predict he will light the world on fire in 2010 much like Michael Owen did in 1998.

This list is an awful read, but I just had to do it.
And of course this squad of 23 is open to debate and I am open to suggestions.