By BBC Sport Online's Celina Hinchcliffe Khalilou Fadiga will be sure to start for Senegal in the opening match of the World Cup finals next summer against defending Champions France. It is a match with special significance for the Senegalese striker. He left his native country, Senegal, when he was only six years old and now feels very much at home in France. "The truth is that I know the streets of Paris better then the streets of Dakar but if I play in the World Cup finals against France, I've got to try to my best to beat them," he said. With Fadiga¿s parents being French and his wife from Belgium, the Auxerre striker could have played international football for both nations. Indeed, he played for Mechelen and Lommel in the Belgium league and did so well that the national coach tried to recruit him to play for Belgium but Fadiga's loyalties were always with the Lions. "I feel Senegalese, when I was home, everybody would speak our language, we listened to Senegalese radio and music, we ate Senegalese food. I share both cultures but I have a lot of family over in Senegal and my colour is Senegalese." But the striker admits it will be strange playing against the French in Korea and Japan because he does feel such an affinity for France. However, the 27-year-old is not the only player who will feel torn when Senegal meet France on 31 May. Patrick Viera was 16 when he left Senegal for France and started playing for the French national team. He will be playing against the country where he spent his childhood. France versus Senegal is top billing not least because it is the opening match of the tournament but it is a game which pitches colonial masters against servants. France have played former colonies Morocco and Algeria before but never the Lions. Senegal and Fadiga in particular are keen to show that they are world class. "It's better that we haven't played them yet because when we meet on the 31 May, they are going to see what Senegal are made of," a confident Fadiga concluded. HAPPY EID-UL-FITR to ALL. YND <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>