Vieira needs to prove he can stay fit

France coach Raymond Domenech insists Patrick Vieira will be his captain at the World Cup as long as the Manchester City midfielder can prove his fitness.

The 33-year-old last week featured in his first two matches for City since signing from Inter Milan in January.

Vieira was left out of the France squad for their crunch World Cup qualifying clash with the Republic of Ireland.

But Domenech said: "If he gets a run of matches Patrick is the captain of the France team. There's not a debate."

Domenech added: "Don't do what you normally do, a player has a good match so he has to be in the France team, then he has a bad match, you have to drop him from the France team.

"What matters, and Pat knows it, is that he gets a run of matches. That's what he says.

"I definitely don't have any doubts about his qualities. And he knows that and we are in complete agreement because we have discussed it at length."

Vieira has 107 caps for his country.

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