Coach Raymond Domenech believes his ageing team can shrug off fatigue and sprout "wings" to defeat Italy in Sunday's World Cup final in Berlin.

Domenech, speaking in Hamlyn the day after Wednesday's 1-0 semi-final win over Portugal in Munich, admitted his team had felt the after-effects of their sixth match since June 13 but is confident that they will shine in the German capital.

"If they were tired (at the end of the Portugal game) it's because of the Portuguese who made us work very hard," said Domenech, whose remarks were reported by www.lequipe.fr.

"Being tired after a semi-final is normal. You are always tired after a match.

"But the final will give wings to everyone."

Domenech had another dig at the critics who branded his team too old - he has previously called them "regular old guys".

"For me they are not old," said Domenech. "When you are 30 or 35 you can still follow a preparation and then it is faith that makes the difference. They must believe what they are doing is meaningful."

Domenech pointed out that playing a gruelling season was not the same as a World Cup.

"Over six months you can expect players of that age to have problems, but not over a period of a month and seven matches," he said.

"(Portugal legend Luis) Figo is the same age as (Zinedine) Zidane and he wasn't bad on Wednesday," said Domenech of Figo who is 33 - Zidane is 34.

"We are not the only team with old players."

Domenech admitted the six surviving veterans of the France 98 squad - Zidane, Lilian Thuram, Fabien Barthez, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet - would have a role to play in motivating their team-mates for Sunday's match.

"They must show calmness and certainty," said Domenech. "We must not go there with doubts and play a match thinking about what will happen after the match or having mentally already played the final - that happens a lot."

Only Louis Saha, a substitute, is suspended and Domenech looks likely to show faith in the line-up which has played in all the knockout matches.

That line-up is: Fabien Barthez; Willy Sagnol, Lilian Thuram, William Gallas, Eric Abidal; Patrick Vieira, Claude Makelele; Franck Ribery, Zinedine Zidane, Florent Malouda; Thierry Henry.