At the start of the tournament, France were an ageing collection of has-beens, split by internal arguments and sentimentally accommodating the man formerly known as the greatest, Zinedine Zidane.

How fortunes can change in the space of a few World Cup games.

The 1998 winners have steadily improved as the tournament has gone on, a progression that culminated with Thierry Henry scoring the goal that beat pre-tournament favourites and holders Brazil.

And this from a player who apparently goes missing in big games.

This is a myth that needs to be dispelled. Along with Ronaldinho, Henry is the best player in the world. He does things that other players must simply stand and admire.

The old cliche goes that there are great goalscorers, and scorers of great goals - Henry is perhaps the only player of our generation that is both.

A converted winger, Henry played as a lone striker for much of last season at Highbury, and still managed 33 goals in 44 games, including strikes against Juventus and Real Madrid - which probably just about classify as big games.

He captained a young and inexperienced team to the Champions League final, and displayed a rarely seen loyalty by staying with Arsenal when brighter and more glamorous options were available.

Henry allegedly under-performed in the group stages, but still managed to score in two games while the side around him were disjointed and uninspired.

Of the big-name players that we have seen in this World Cup, not many have lived up to their reputations.

Ronaldinho was overshadowed by Kaka, Riquelme didn't control games as we know he can, and the less said about Frank Lampard the better.

Henry has arguably been one of the few stars that has done his job in this World Cup.

With the confidence of his team growing around him, Henry could make short work of a Portugal defence that could barely contain England's meagre attack, even after Wayne Rooney's dismissal.