Vieira will be new France captain

Midfielder Patrick Vieira will be France's new captain when the World Cup finalists take on Bosnia in a friendly on Aug. 16, coach Raymond Domenech said yesterday.

"The captain will be Patrick Vieira and it is logical," Domenech told the French television channel TF1.

Vieira, 30, will take over from Zinedine Zidane, who retired after the World Cup final in which France lost to Italy on penalties.

The former Arsenal player, who has captained Les Bleus eight times, left demoted Juventus to join Inter during the close season. He has won 94 caps for France, scoring six goals.

France start their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign on September 2 in Georgia.