By Paul Kennedy

Managing Editor

Soccer America

Averaging 2.67 goals per game, Spain enters Tuesday's match against France in Hanover with the highest-scoring team at the World Cup, but the Spaniards haven't faced a defense as experienced as the Bleus' backline.

All four starters won league championships in 2005-06: right back Willy Sagnol with Bayern Munich (Germany), center backs William Gallas with Chelsea (England) and Lilian Thuram with Juventus (Italy) and left back Eric Abidal with Lyon (France).

''A strong defense is a basis, something you can build on,'' said France coach Raymond Domenech, ''and it's also reassuring for the entire team.''

Sagnol took over at right back when Thuram, the right back on France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 championship teams, moved into the middle, where he plays for Juve. Gallas was finally moved from left back to his natural position in the middle for the 2006 World Cup. Abidal returned from a broken foot suffered in a friendly against Costa Rica last November in Martinique — Lyon sued FIFA in a test case for a club's right to compensation for a player injured in international play — and won the left back job. Thuram is the oldest at 34. Sagnol is 29, Gallas 28 and Abidal 26.

Spain is one of the most attack-minded teams in the tournament — it is expected to lineup with three strikers in David Villa, Fernando Torres and Luis Garcia — but Sagnol is confident France can shut them down.

''The power of the opposing strikers should not really be a problem,'' said Sagnol, ''if the four of us keep concentrating on our job and approaching it collectively.''

IN AND OUT. Captain Zinedine Zidane and Abidal return for France after missing Friday's 2-0 win over Togo because of suspensions.

HISTORY.

France and Spain have never met at the World Cup. Spain leads the series with 11 wins, 10 losses and six ties in 27 games. Their most memorable encounter took place in the quarterfinals of Euro 2000 when eventual champion France won, 2-1. Raul missed a penalty in the final minute.

PROBABLES.

Spain (4-3-3): 1-Iker Casillas (60-0); 15-Sergio Ramos (13-2), 5-Carles Puyol (49-1), 22-Pablo Ibanez (13-0), 3-Mariano Pernia (3-1); 16-Marcos Senna (5-0), 14-Xabi Alonso (28-1), 8-Xavi (39-1); 11-Luis Garcia (12-3), 9-Fernando Torres (33-13), 21-David Villa (11-4).

France (4-2-3-1): 16-Fabien Barthez (83-0); 19-Willy Sagnol (41-0), 15-Lilian Thuram (117-2), 5-William Gallas (43-1), 3-Eric Abidal; 4-Patrick Vieira (90-5), 6-Claude Makelele (46-0); 22-Franck Ribery (6-0), 10-Zinedine Zidane, 7-Florent Malouda (15-2); 12-Thierry Henry (81-35).

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).

TV.

ESPN, live, 3 pm ET.

Univision, live, 3 pm ET.