France rested him for the goalless draw with Romania and probably wished they hadn't, but now the hour has come for Thierry Henry to make his entrance and lift the Blues' spirits on Friday against the rampaging Dutch.

In the Group of Death two dropped points means the French have it all to do with Italy also lurking and Henry has to prove he still has his cutting edge after a less than glorious season at Barcelona.

Henry had to take the brickbats when he went off after a none-too-convincing showing on his 100th international appearance in the warm-up win over Colombia.

But now he is cast in the role of the man who has the key to unlock the door to the quarterfinals.

Lyon striker Karim Benzema has not as yet managed to rise above his inexperience at this level whereas "Titi" Henry has seen it all before with his 44 international goals.

Henry has had a frustrating week with a thigh strain but he showed his fitness sufficiently to coach Raymond Domenech with a 45-minute workout against a youth select team from the Swiss towns of Neuchatel and Fribourg in which he set up four goals and netted once himself.

With their number 12 star on board the French will have a clearer idea of where they are headed or trying to head.

Domestically, Benzema had a fine season with Lyon picking off another title and the French Cup ta boot, but is still learning the ropes in French blue.

Henry's domestic season was, in contrast, far from blissful as he was used sparingly by Barca following his arrival from Arsenal and when he did feature it was often on the left, to his chagrin.

He still scored 19 goals in all competitions and if 'King Henry' is sometimes seen as disdainful in his manner France has nonetheless yet to find his successor on the field and he remains the squad's most potent striking threat.

With Henry's return France will try to give playmaker Franck Ribery the space to grow in the 2008 version of the role which Zinedine Zidane occupied at the 1998 World Cup with Henry firing the bullets the Bayern Munich midfielder creates.

But true to form, Domenech would not be drawn ahead of the game on whether he would indeed play Henry and, furthermore, another 1998 survivor in Patrick Vieira or rest the veteran midfielder once again as he recovers from a left thigh injury.

AFP