PARIS. Aug 7: An Olympic soccer tournament rich in skill and excitement has the French licking their lips at the prospect of hosting a tasty World Cup in 1998. reports Reuter.

Following Nigeria's exhilarating gold medal victory at the Atlanta Games on Saturday. France's leading sports daily and soccer weekly have marvelled at the football played by the Africans and South Americans.

"All this promises a well cooked '98 World Cup." said the weekly France Football on Tuesday in an editorial that began with a look back at the dour European championship finals in England in June.

Euro '96 was marked by defensive football and a dearth of goals.

The Olympics tournament, featuring many young players already capped at senior level and sure to be involved in the 1998 World Cup finals in France, saw 14 goals in the semifinals and final, while Argentina'-arid BriiziMhtt*4«>ur each in the quarter-finals.

L'equuipe said: “After a very sad Euro, the moral of these Olympic Games is that Europe needs to wake up if it wants to avoid being trampled underfoot in two years' time.

"South America is unquestionably advancing. Africa has sealed its ambitions and Asia (with a surprising Japan and an always competitive South Korea) is coming on at a gallop.

"French spectators can already reserve their tickets for the 1998 World Cup."

France Football said. "The majority of promising players were up front (fortunately)’ and singled out Brazil’s bril liant Juninho as perhaps the best player-of-the-tournament

"He would do better to quit (his English club Middlesbrough) to blossom." it added

Ajax Amsterdam had made no mistake in adding TIJani Babangida to the Nigerians already in their ranks such as Nwankwo Kanu, who scored two telling goals to eliminate Brazil in the semifinals, and the veteran Finidi George.

Losing finalists Argentina with 1994 World Cup forward Ariel Ortega at the hub. weaved a very fine cotton’