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Henry warns of fatigue factor

Henry: Sharp shooter when heat is on

LONDON, England (CNN) -- France striker Thierry Henry has warned that fatigue could play a big role in the World Cup finals.

The 24-year-old striker told CNN that tiredness at the end of a long season, along with coping with the heat and humidity, could mean shock results in Japan and South Korea.

Henry, his country's top scorer with three goals in the victorious World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 campaigns, said: "You always have some surprises during the World Cup. Sometimes a game is so close, some teams they are so tired."

With the finals in Asia for the first time, Henry is able to tap into valuable experience having played in the Under 20s World Cup in Malaysia. "It was really, really difficult because of the weather. It was really hot and the humidity made it tough."

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The centre-forward, who plays for north London club Arsenal in the English Premiership, said European stars were being asked to play too many matches, with European Champions League matches adding to the congestion.

Henry, who started all 12 of Arsenal's Champions League games this season, expressed sympathy for club and country colleague Robert Pires, who sustained a knee injury in March and is out of the World Cup.

"Robert was playing out of this world and we were all enjoying it. He was playing some brilliant football and we are all upset for him," said Henry, who joined Arsenal in 1999 after spells with Monaco in France and Juventus in Italy.

Now first choice French striker, Henry accepts Argentina are the pundits' favourites to challenge France's World Cup crown. But he is warning anyone writing off Cameroon and Senegal.

"Some people don't know a lot about Senegal but they are a great side and you have to be careful about Cameroon. In 1998 our most difficult game was against Paraguay, so you never know what can happen."