Lippi says hunger will determine winner

BERLIN, July 8 (Reuters) Italy coach Marcello Lippi today said on Saturday the team with the greater will to win would triumph when his players take on France in the World Cup final.

More than a billion television viewers are expected to watch three-times champions Italy take on 1998 winners France in Berlin's Olympiastadion tomorrow evening.

''We will see who has the most hunger,'' Lippi said. ''Among the many things on the table there will be the organisation of the teams, the technical quality and the great players on both sides.'' France coach Raymond Domenech tried to play down the hype surrounding the climax of the month-long tournament.

''I don't regard this as a final,'' he said. ''It's just a match we have to win before quietly going on holidays.'' Italy booked their place in the showpiece match with a semi-final triumph over hosts Germany, who take on Portugal in the battle for third place in Stuttgart today evening.

Germany are without several first-choice players including captain Michael Ballack due to injury. But the hosts are desperate to end on a high after riding a wave of national euphoria to reach the last four.

Although the third place match is sometimes regarded as a sideshow which lacks edge, Portugal also have an incentive to win the game.

A victory for them would equal their best showing at a World Cup, dating back to 1966.

TOUGHER OPPONENTS Lippi said he believed France would be tougher opponents than the German side that Italy beat in the semi-finals.

But he suggested his team may have the advantage when it comes to motivation as they had more to prove.

''They (France) have won a World Cup and a European Championship while this generation of (Italian) players has only got close to that,'' said Lippi.

''That is what is on the table, we have the fork in our hand and let's see what happens,'' he added.

France's players, however, may also feel they have a lot to prove. The 1998 champions were eliminated without a win or a goal from the group stage at the 2002 tournament in Asia.

''All the criticism after the last World Cup hurt them a lot,'' said Domenech.

His players have adopted a low media profile during the tournament, especially playmaker Zinedine Zidane who will play the last match of his illustrious career tomorrow.

He has come to talk to reporters only once since the start of the finals, before the opening 0-0 draw with Switzerland.

''I understand Zinedine,'' Domenech said. ''His objective is to do, not to say, and that goes for the other players as well.

They have built a fortress around them and are staying in there.'' REUTERS SY KP2351