Lineker is my World Cup hero, says Gallas

HAMELIN, Germany, June 11 (Reuters) Asked for his favourite World Cup player and moment, France defender William Gallas came up with unexpected answers.

''Gary Lineker and England v Cameroon,'' Gallas told reporters today with no hesitation at all.

Zinedine Zidane and France's 3-0 triumph over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final would have sounded more natural choices for a French international but Gallas explained he loved English and African football.

''Gary Lineker is a player I always loved,'' said the Chelsea player. ''I like his style very much.'' The match Gallas picked was an epic quarter-final battle in Naples at the 1990 World Cup finals won 3-2 after extra time by England over the Indomitable Lions and featuring two Lineker penalties.

''I wanted Cameroon to win that but it was a fantastic match,'' said Gallas, who will play his first World Cup game when France open their Group G campaign against Switzerland on Tuesday in Stuttgart.

''Being at a World Cup as a player is amazing,'' he said. ''I have so many World Cup memories from when I was a kid watching matches on television.

''I have two dreams, one is to lift the World Cup one day and the other is to see an African team win it,'' said the 28-year-old, who was born in France but whose roots are in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.

The versatile Gallas, who often had to play wing back for France, is now being paired with Lilian Thuram in central defence and likes that better.

''I prefer that position,'' he said. ''Lilian is somebody I respect enormously and playing alongside him is great. We talk a lot. He's somebody who always listens to others and he's such a fantastic player.'' Gallas has said he wanted to leave Chelsea for AC Milan but the deal is not done yet.

''I don't know and I don't care,'' he said when asked whether the situation had changed.

''I know where I want to go but I'm here to play a World Cup and for the moment nothing else matters.'' REUTERS PDS BD2054