The only player in the squad who was part of the team's 1998 World Cup triumph, the 32-year-old appears set to lose his place up front in coach Raymond Domenech's first team to Nicolas Anelka and the captain's arm-band to left back Patrice Evra.
Prior to naming his squad for the June 11-July 11 finals in South Africa, Domenech endorsed Henry as a trusted 'great player', yet has started him on the bench for France's two World Cup warm-ups against Costa Rica and Tunisia.
Henry, until that day never considered a cheat, handled the ball in the build-up to the decisive goal that sent France through to the finals, sparking one of the biggest outcries in the competition's history.
"I am lucky to play with Titi at club level and it's true that the last few months have been complicated for him," defender Eric Abidal, Henry's team-mate at Barca, told reporters at France's training camp in Tunisia.
"He's been thinking about the World Cup and getting ready for it, hoping it would give him a breath of fresh air. He's a leading player in our group and we know we can count on him."
"The coach has made choices that can be difficult to accept but Titi is still ready to help out," Abidal said of Henry's uncomfortable situation.
"I don't see any first-choice players or substitutes," Domenech said of his decision to leave Henry on the bench.
"We're a group. Everybody must remain under pressure and available to help."
