France defender Willy Sagnol admits Sunday's World Cup final is likely to be a close encounter - but believes team-mate Zinedine Zidane could hold the key to the outcome.

Zidane was the hero of France's 1998 success, with two goals in the 3-0 final win over Brazil, and will retire after Sunday night's showpiece against Italy at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

Sagnol accepts the Azzurri are a solid outfit - Marcello Lippi's side have conceded only one goal in the entire tournament - but the defender believes Zidane has the ability to cap his career with one more match-winning display.

"Italy have been playing very well," said Sagnol. "They crushed Ukraine in the quarter-finals and then got to the final by beating Germany very well so it will not be easy."

Asked who the best Italian player is, Sagnol said: "Their best player is their whole team.

"They have [Gianluigi] Buffon, [Fabio] Cannavaro, [Francesco] Totti and [Luca] Toni - they will be very difficult opponents for France, but France will be very difficult opponents for Italy.

"We will wait and see what happens on Sunday."

The Bayern Munich star added ironically: "I suppose that if Italy score one goal more than we do that they will win, but with Zidane we have something extra."

Sagnol also hailed the role Zidane plays off the field as a motivator for the rest of the team.

"Anyone can see that he is naturally a shy person but he's still a natural leader," said Sagnol.

"Like Lilian [Thuram] and Fabien [Barthez], they are guides for us and it's very nice to follow in their footsteps."

Zidane, Thuram and Barthez - as well as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and David Trezeguet - are the six survivors of the France team that brought two million people onto the Champs Elysees the day after the victory over Brazil in 1998.

"They want to finish at the highest possible level," said Sagnol, knowing only Henry and Trezeguet of the Class of '98 are likely to have another World Cup opportunity in South Africa in four years.

"The older players are on borrowed time - it's the law of sport - and if we can help them finish on a high then so much the better," said Sagnol.

"It would also be very good for us [the younger players]."

France coach Raymond Domenech has fielded the same side in all the knockout matches against Spain, Brazil and Portugal and there seems little reason for him to change now.

If he keeps faith with the starting eleven, then Thuram, William Gallas, Sagnol and Eric Abidal will form the back four in front of Barthez while Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele will operate in holding midfield roles.

With Henry operating on his own up front, Zidane would play just behind, with Franck Ribery to his right and Florent Malouda to his left.