Laurent Blanc is not happy that France were seeded in the second group for the World Cup 2014 qualifying draw, as they ended up with Spain.

Blanc: Left unhappy

England came within a whisker of being handed a World Cup qualifying campaign with France as their opponents - only for Spain to be handed that poisoned chalice.

Only two names were left in the pot at the end of the qualifying draw for the 2014 finals in Brazil - England and Spain, with the prospect that one of those would go into Group I with France.

As it turned out, the former Brazilian striker Ronaldo picked England to go into Group H, avoiding Europe's big-hitters and instead facing Montenegro, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova and San Marino.

World and European champions Spain will have to battle it out with France, to the chagrin of Les Bleus coach Laurent Blanc.

Blanc said: "I don't understand why France is in the second group? Why are Greece, Norway and Croatia ranked higher?

"Spain is the world champion. Barcelona won the Champions League. I know everything about them but the qualifiers start after 2012. I've got time to improve my team."

The duo will also battle it out with Belarus, Georgia and Finland in the only five-team European pool.