DAKAR, July 10: French football captain Patrick Vieira wants to pursue his international career until at least the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and he believes the future remains bright for France’s young national side.

“Of course I will be there in 2010,” said the 31-year-old midfielder who has played 101 times for France. “I will play as long as I can. There will be a time when I have to stop but I am not planning on that. I am too young and have too much desire.”

He said prospects for the French team remained bright even after the retirement of three-time FIFA World Player of The Year Zinedine Zidane exactly a year ago on Monday after the World Cup final defeat to Italy in Berlin.

“It’s a young team but one that already has a lot of experience and I believe it has a really good future,” he said. “It’s not easy to lose a player like Zidane but we still have some dynamic forwards so I’m confident it’ll be okay.”

Asked whether the side could better the impressive results of the Zidane era, Vieira said: “We will just keep working hard and be ambitious. We want to be at the top and to win trophies, that is what it is all about.”

Plagued by thigh and knee problems since February, the World and European Championship winner said he believed that he would be back on form this season for Italian champions Inter Milan. “Things are going really well. I’ve had treatment on the injury and I will be joining the club for pre-season training on July 15,” he said. —Reuters