France will be going up against the best team in the tournament when they take on Italy in the World Cup final on Sunday, according to defender Lilian Thuram.

France's record cap winner, who plays his club football for Juventus, said after his side defeated Portugal 1-0 late Wednesday to set up the match in Berlin, that he has feared the Italians from the start of the finals.

Of course I know all the Juventus players very well, they are very strong. It's going to be a tough game against Italy. They are without doubt the best team in the tournament," the 34-year-old said.

"From the start I thought they would go far as they are a very homogenous group of players. You can sense their solidarity.

"Once upon a time there were too many big egos in the Italian team, but now they work for each other and it is going to be very difficult for us."

Thuram, who was named man of the match for his superb marshalling

of the French defence which has conceded only two goals in six games, is one of five players who were part of the victorious French side in 1998.

He retired from international football after the French crashed out of Euro 2004 in Portugal only to return under the influence of close friend Zinedine Zidane who also returned to the fray as France struggled in the qualifiers for Germany.

"It's just crazy," he said. "I shouldn't even be here. I didn't want to come back but the coach convinced me to return against my better judgement and here I am once again in a World Cup final. Football is just wonderful."