Coupet dreams of playing for France at 2010 World Cup

Atletico Madrid's new 35-year-old goalkeeper Gregory Coupet said Tuesday that he hopes to still be part of France's squad during the 2010 World Cup as he was officially unveiled by the Spanish club.

Asked if he intended to be France's keeper at the tournament in South Africa, he said: “Playing for Atletico and the possibility of playing in the Champions League allow me to continue to think, to dream of the French squad.”

Coupet, who had been linked to English League Cup winners Tottenham, said he had come to Spain “to try to show that I have a place in the starting line-up to defend”.

Atletico signed Coupet for the next two seasons. He represented France at Euro 2008 and has been capped 34 times.

The Spanish side are in the qualifying round of the Champions League after finishing fourth in the Primera Liga last season.

Coupet had a clause in his Lyon contract running to 2010 allowing him to leave Lyon, with whom he has won seven straight league titles, for three million euros, but the Spanish side finally got their man for half that.

Atletico will pay an extra 500,000 euros if Coupet helps them qualify for the Champions League in the next two seasons.