In rehearsal at least. The countries await the final verdict on the Euro qualifiers. But Michel Platini thinks that it will be fantastic if it does happen and France decides to play football.

Thierry Henry can hope that Martin Hansson officiates one of France's matches. This time he might be able to get away with a volleyball spike.

Mexico face hosts South Africa in the opening match on June 11.

They have never lost on that day in four other appearances.

1958 World Cup in Sweden, they drew Wales with a goal by Jaime Belmonte.

1970 World Cup in Mexico, El Tri beat Belgium 1-0 on a Gustavo 'Falcon' Peña penalty.

1986 World Cup in Mexico, El Tri defeated Iraq 1-0 on a goal by Fernando Quirarte.

2006 World Cup in Germany, Mexico overcame Iran 3-1 with goals from Omar Bravo and 'Zinha'.

They are facing SA and that day will bring a special feeling to El Tri when the eyes of the world turn towards them.

"It's a beautiful thing that we open the World Cup," forward Guillermo Franco said. "I like it personally. It gave me goose bumps: Mexico playing in the first game and what that will mean around the world."

Manager Javier Aguirre also echoes that sentiment.

"It's enormously exciting to open the World Cup," he said. "It a unique chance, a historic chance. I hope when that day arrives we are up to it."

They have another opportunity to add to their June 11th record.

Sepp Blatter disclosed that FIFA's Disciplinary Committee has opened an investigation into the 'behaviour' of Thierry Henry and they will decide if the French striker will face some sort of penalty for the 'hand ball' that rocked the world.

Asked why FIFA were making a special case of Henry, he added: "This is a matter of the disciplinary committee and it's not a question of this player or another - it was a blatant unfair playing and was shown all around the world, but I don't know what the outcome will be."

It is widely believed that Henry might face a one match ban when France open their World Cup campaign.

The fact that Diego Maradona was not banned from subsequent internationals for his hand goal and the fact that Thierry Henry made repentant noises following his blatant hand ball are extenuating circumstances.

For those with a historical bent towards punishment, nothing can be as miserable as Thierry Henry's and France's 2002 World Cup campaign. An opening loss to Senegal was followed by a disastrous match against Uruguay which they drew as Henry was sent off in the 25th minute for making a studs up tackle . This meant he would be missing the final crucial encounter with Denmark. A do or die attempt at qualifying for the next round as France found themselves at the bottom of the table. Les Bleus were outplayed and lost, 0-2, their attack toothless without Henry.

The World Cup champions were sent home early.

With France decidedly wishy washy about its team and Raymond Domenech lampooned by the media and fans, it maybe the best thing to happen to France this time too.

What is the FAI chief, John Delaney smoking?

Thirty three teams for the World Cup? The Republic of Ireland has requested Sepp Blatter for a spot in the World Cup after Thierry Henry's illegal hand decided France would go through.

This matter will be brought up for discussion in the executive committee meeting on Wednesday. Complicating the matter is Costa Rica's contention that Uruguay benefited from an offside goal which denied them a place in the World Cup. Blatter will have to accommodate them also, if Ireland is granted its wish.

Seems like this can open up a whole lot of aggravation on the part of other countries who will naturally complain that they missed out on a spot because of a refereeing error or a dive. FIFA already denied the FAI's request for a replay which would have been the fairest solution.

How will you accommodate an extra team? Thirty three is an imbalanced number. Will one group have five countries? Even if Costa Rica gets in then there will be two groups of five each. That itself will lead to protests because those countries will have to play an extra match which gives the other countries an unfair advantage.

It is strange given that a few days ago FIFA was cavalierly considering throwing Chile out of the World Cup on a flimsy pretext. That country had qualified fair and square but FIFA got huffy considering the national association's expulsion of a club amounted to interference in league competition. And now we have a situation where a country could get a chance at the World Cup on a hypothetical. Yeaay! Its leprechaun gold.

Blatter after being virtually tongue tied following Henry's blatant handball is giving this importance because it creates the impression that he cares deeply about Ireland's feelings and the fairness of the game. It will get shot down in the executive meeting but he gets to varnish his tough on crime credentials.

Most Irish fans had milked this of all melancholia by now but John Delaney seems keen on flogging a dead horse.

The president of Fimalac, Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere calls for a replay. Fimalac is better known through its influential subsidiary, Fitch Ratings which assesses financial risk management by assigning company ratings.

" In accepting a win by cheating, France is permanently compromising its reputation and its image abroad. It will not be easy to soften the severity of the comments that we are currently hearing. So much the more so because we have the reputation as "lesson givers" the world over. In the national context, how will parents, educators, and teachers be able to tell their students not to cheat when the captain and coach of the French national team do it? "

Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere

I wonder what rating he would give FIFA? A possible D in integrity. And an F for innovation. Since company business is affected by such ratings, how about we introduce similar ratings for organizations like FIFA and the IOC?

Thierry Henry's actions after his "Hand of Frog" assist on goal. He regrets celebrating the goal. But not actually the goal itself. What has he done so far to absolve himself?

He consoled Richard Dunne.

Then in his press interview, he said he had handled the ball but he consulted the referee and the referee said nothing.

He stepped it up saying that he was open to a replay.

Now, he says he wanted to quit the game not because he felt remorse but because in the aftermath, the French Federation did not support him leaving him lonely.

Great player, double faced.

I think we should install confession boxes on the pitch or some sort of confessional depending on the players religion so that we do not have to put up with these painful displays of public catharsis.

The French public overwhelmingly (81%) believe that the French team does not deserve to go to the World Cup. An even bigger percentage (88%) believe that Thierry Henry was wrong to use his hand to assist in William Gallas extrat time goal.

Just a moral victory but at least there is some honour left. It also indicates the out of touch response of FIFA and the French federation. If football was truly the sport of the people, then there would have been a replay. And those 81% are also saying that Raymond Domenech does not deserve to continue as the French coach.

Sports pundits and fans are going full tilt at Thierry Henry calling him a "cheat", "morally reprehensible", "unsportsmanlike", "a snake oil salesman".

Richard Williams crosses that line when as a Brit he forgives Maradona's hand of God goal saying it amounts to breeding.

"To rank the incident in Paris alongside Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" in 1986 is misleading. That was a street kid's instinct, acclaimed by his compatriots as revenge for Antonio Rattín and the Malvinas. Henry may come from Les Ulis, a quartier difficile outside Paris, but he is a sophisticated man, and a much decorated one. A chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur should have done better - by his opponents, by himself, and by the game."

For all the pundit pyromania, it is fellow players that are rallying around Henry. David Beckham became the latest to offer his support. And even members of the Irish team have refused to criticize Henry directly with Damien Duff, saying that he would have probably done the same if given the opportunity.

Media overkill is basically helping players close ranks on themselves.

The debate really should be more about why France continues to underwhelm. Thierry Henry's actions benefit Raymond Domenech the most. The media has turned Sauron like to the French striker and away from the managerial career of the insipid Domenech.

Even the talk about this permanently dooming Thierry Henry's career and his livelihood is nonsense. If he produces goals at the World Cup next year, this will be a tempest in a teapot. Yes, the Irish will boo him in the bars if they can stomach seeing France play their opponents but that will be all. I can say with confidence Diego Maradona is calling up Henry right now and telling that this is the best thing since his hand of God goal and it has nothing to do with breeding.

Its not just the Egyptian and Algerian governments having a holy go at each other.

The replay request is now being echoed in the upper echelons of the Irish government as Brian Cowen, the Irish PM is now suggesting that he will approach the French premier Nickolas Sarkozy to discuss a replay and circumvent FIFA's objections.

Francois Fillion, the French PM thinks that that is not such a good idea.

The Irish justice minister, Dermot Ahern minced no words.

"There was no justice last night in Paris." He said of France's decisive goal: "If that result remains, it reinforces the view that if you cheat you will win."

The Irish loss has plunged the country into gloom, a familiar melancholy. Woe is us. Even Ahern ended his ire on a gloomy note.

"They probably won't grant it as we are minnows in world football."