Former Manchester United and France star Laurent Blanc has agreed to succeed Raymond Domenech as France manager after this summer’s World Cup finals.

Blanc, now aged 44, was in the World Cup winning France side of 1998, although he didn’t play in the final itself having been sent off in the semi final win over Croatia, somewhat controversially, as a result of an altercation between himself and Slaven Bilic.

He was capped an impressive 97 times with France, and scored 16 goals, a very good record for a defensive player.

His playing career included Auxerre, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Marseille and he ended his playing career with Manchester United, where he retired in 2003. Manchester United won the Premiership title that season, although aging Blanc only made 15 appearances with the team and retired before the season ended.

As a manager, he has had just as much success, having taken Bordeaux to the domestic cup and league double in France in 2009. The French Football Federation have confirmed that he has now agreed to leave his club and become manager of France. After three years with Bordeaux Blanc is ready for a new challenge with the national team he once played for.

Domenech will see the team through the World Cup, but has been unpopular with many French fans after their frustrating “skin of the teeth” qualification campaign for the World Cup.

France, despite being in the final and eventually coming second in the last World Cup, are no longer seeded by FIFA and only qualified via the play offs, and in a controversial manner. Blanc will be looking to bring France’s formidable reputation back ready for Euro 2012, but can Domenech go some way towards that in South Africa before handing over the reins? France are the favourites out of the unseeded teams, with odds of between 14 and 20/1 being offered on them as outright winners. They face hosts South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay in their group.