Sarkozy to chair meeting on France's World Cup campaign

French President Nicolas Sarkozy will on Wednesday chair a government meeting to look into the failure of Les Bleus at the World Cup and will meet team captain Thierry Henry on Thursday.

France's campaign, marred by infighting and the boycott of a training session, ended on Tuesday with a 2-1 defeat by hosts South Africa that left them bottom of Group A without a win.

"Thierry Henry called the President from South Africa and told him he wanted to see him as soon as possible after his return to France," government spokesman Luc Chatel told reporters on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon, sports minister Roselyne Bachelot and junior sports minister Rama Yade will take part in Wednesday's meeting, he added.

The squad is expected to fly back to France on Wednesday to face criticism at the end of a saga featuring poor results, the sending home of striker Nicolas Anelka for insulting coach Raymond Domenech and players walking out on a training session.