Transition is a loaded word in football. Usually its appearance is guaranteed only in sticky times, when a club is failing, when a manager is sacked. Liverpool, in the post-Graeme Souness era, has been in a near permanent transitional period.

Now that Gerard Houllier seems to have total control of Anfield's playing future, the transition excuse will be valid no more. The changes have been made. Now it is time to see if they were worth making.

Houllier was also a fundamental figure in the dramatic upturn in French football. As technical director of the French Football Federation, Houllier was responsible for the youth development system which played such a part in France winning the World Cup two years ago.

There are times now when Houllier would be forgiven for marvelling at his handiwork. He will also have recognised that once again the French team is in transition. Not, however, in the traditional, troubled sense.

France are in transition from being the side that won a World Cup tournament into a side which looks the most powerful, compact and complete in the world. It is a subtle transition, given that the personnel are much the same as two summers ago, but significant.

The talisman, for example, as in 1998, remains Zinedine Zidane. Yet even he, great player as he was, is better than before.

"I am more mature now," he said after collecting the umpteenth man-of-the-match award of his career following France's 2-1 win over Spain in Bruges on Sunday night. "I'm 28 and at the top of my game."

Zidane felt the same was true of his colleagues. "We're better than we were two years ago. We're a stronger team with two years' more experience."

Few would disagree. While France were properly tested both by the Spanish and in the opening 10 minutes of their first group game against Denmark, there is still the sense that when they have to they will find another gear, score another goal.

Understandably, much has been made of the goal-scoring element. In 1998, it is now barely credible to recall, France played Stephane Guivarc'h in the final with Brazil. Guivarc'h had been poor in the competition and went on to confirm the impression by flopping first at Newcastle and then at Rangers, before returning to the French league where he had been a prolific scorer.

Thierry Henry was a 20-year-old fringe player then, albeit one who took part in every game bar the final; Christophe Dugarry was a peripheral figure, and Nicolas Anelka was not in the squad. Now all three are capable of creating or scoring, though Anelka still seems inhibited compared to the free-flowing Henry.

Youri Djorkaeff, now 32, is another in triumphant form. Sunday brought Djorkaeff his 64th cap and, in his view: "The most difficult one. We didn't expect Spain to keep their threat up for 90 minutes."

But France still won, thereby extending the amazing defensive record set by Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc and Bixente Lizarazu. In 24 games together as a back four, a run stretching back to 1996, this France defence has not lost once. They have won 20 times and drawn the other four. Ronaldo's nickname is "The Phenomenon", but he must be in danger of losing it.

Before Euro 2000, the last time France lost - 3-2 against Russia in qualification - Lizarazu was injured (as was Zidane), and when they were beaten by the same score by Holland last Wednesday France had the reserves out.

If France get past Portugal and win the final with the same defensive make-up, then the record will be part of their history. Blanc, who will be 35 in November, retires from international football at some stage in the next five days. When Blanc moves on, Thuram will move across. Thuram plays centre half for Parma.

When asked the secret of their success as a unit, Blanc's reply was: "We have never worked on anything special in training. We have too little time for that. We just complement each other."

It is another feature of this welded team that the players also line up to compliment one another. Patrick Vieira spoke on Sunday night about the hero that Zidane is to him and every child in France; Desailly spoke of Blanc, Thuram and Lizarazu with affection and respect; and Zidane talked of the importance of Didier Deschamps to the rest of the squad. "He's our leader," Zidane said.

Chelsea fans who booed Deschamps for pulling out of a tackle at Old Trafford at the end of the season will have been asking themselves if the Deschamps of Sunday night was the one who turns out for them. It's a question Deschamps has answered already when he said he plays at "50 per cent" in England.

Watching him support Zidane in Bruges, and occasionally match his skill level, then seeing him cool midfield with simple, effective passes, it was easy to see what motivates Deschamps. It's not kick and rush.

It was also possible to see what Deschamps does for the others, because it was the Chelsea midfielder who took the pre-match warm-up, not Roger Lemerre, the manager, and it was Deschamps who held the team talk on the pitch. Observing the 10 men grouped around him must make that an enjoyable task.