France vs. Belgium: 2018 World Cup live

Starting lineup of France

Goalkeeper: 1 Hugo Lloris (Tottenham)

Defenders: 21 Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid), 2 Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart), 5 Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), 4 Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Midfielders: 13 N & # 39; Golo Kante (Chelsea), 14 Blaise Matuidi (Juventus), 6 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

Forwarders: 9 Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), 7 Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), 10 Kylian Mbappe (Paris St Germain)

Belgium at the top of the ranking

Belgium is keen on what works: Fellaini leaves with Witsel and Mousa Dembélé in a hard work, supervised by Nacer Chadli and De Bruyne. Hazard and Lukaku in front, and the same bottom line to three that brought them up here: Vertonghen, Kompany and Alderweireld.

Goalkeeper: 1 Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)

Defenders: 2 Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), 4 Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), January 5 Vertonghen (Tottenham)

Midfielder: 7 Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), 19 Mousa Dembele (Tottenham), 8 Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), 10 Eden Hazard (Chelsea), 6 Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian)

Forwards: 22 Nacer Chadli (West Brom), 9 Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)

How they got here

Belgium is the only remaining team on the field with five World Cup wins in the summer. France tied Denmark in the group stage and England lost to Belgium. Croatia left the field with the impression of being a winner in every match, but it progressed on two consecutive shootouts, but it was simply a break in equality: the two games were officially registered as draws.

France against Belgium: goals

France scored nine goals and surrendered three goals. Belgium scored 14 points, boosted by big wins over Panama (3-0) and Tunisia (5-2) in the group stage, but it was not so stingy in the back. He gave up five goals in Russia.

Thierry Henry on the other side

The presence of former France player Thierry Henry on the Belgian bench tonight will be a little embarrbading. Henry was a teammate with Deschamps in the winning team of the World Cup in their country in 1998. Now in the early stages of a coaching career, he works as badistant manager of Belgium , Roberto Martinez. "I had the chance to play with him for two years in the France team," said Hugo Lloris. "It's true that it's a bit odd to see him with the Belgian team, but that's his career and it's like that he's learning his future career.I think his heart will be divided tomorrow, because through all that he remains French. "

How Belgium was built

Some see Belgium qualify for the semi-finals as a validation of how she has changed her player development system. As for the restarts of Germany and Spain before it, the transformation of Belgium is now considered – by some – as worthy of study and copying. But the presence of Belgium, Croatia, France and England here, reminds Rory Smith, is a reminder to be cautious when trying to replicate any model in a different country.

Belgium's attack against France

and Kevin De Bruyne is perhaps the best offensive trio remaining in the tournament, and they asked serious questions to each team in the knockouts. The ability of France to disrupt them before that they occupy dangerous positions, will prevent them from imposing on the ground today. This role often comes back to N & # 39; Golo Kanté, a tireless worker. But he will need the help of Paul Pogba and another strong performance from Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti today. the stop of Belgium will not be a work of a single man

Belgium Slow Mbappé and Griezmann

Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann will pose a test of attack as formidable as that which Belgium recently pbaded against Brazil. Belgium has done so with a solid game of Marouane Fellaini and Axel Witsel in midfield, and France should expect a little more of the same today.

France vs Belgium Top Story Lines

• So many matches today familiar to the regulars of the Premier League: N & # 39; Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba of France vs Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium at Midfielder; goaltender Hugo Lloris trying to push forward Romelu Lukaku; Olivier Giroud potentially difficult for Headers against Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. But club affiliations are also unclear today: Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Paris St. Germain, Monaco and Barcelona both have players on both sides of this semi-final.

• "I think we know them very well," said French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. "But they know us very well," said director Didier Deschamps: "It's an advantage of two sides. They can enjoy one another. But during the match, everyone will be on his side.

• Belgium are without Thomas Meunier, an important (but not necessarily flashing) member of his team, he took his second yellow card against Brazil and is suspended France recovers Blaise Matuidi after serving his own ban yellow card in the quarter-finals

• Tottenham Hotspur has as many World Cup (nine) players as the Bundesliga as a whole and one more than Italy. Action today: Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembélé for Belgium and Hugo Lloris for France The Belgian Nacer Chadli also spent time in Spurs

• France won the World Cup in 1998 and returned to the finals in 2006. Belgium are in the semi-finals for the second time only. he lost at this stage in 1986.

• Today's winner will face the England-Croatia winner in Sunday's final in Moscow. The loser may stay in St. Petersburg, which will host the match for third place Saturday.

• France is the favorite to qualify for the final, but it is very close: the odds of bookmakers are 54% likely winner. Bookmakers have many other opinions too: the over / under is 2.5 goals. The player most likely to score the first goal is Antoine Griezmann (6-1), followed by Romelu Lukaku (7-1) and Kylian Mbappe (8-1).

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Some Readings of Pregame

• The right-back of France, Benjamin Pavard, had a solid tournament and scored a magnificent goal against Argentina. But his part of the pitch is where the Belgian Eden Hazard likes to work, and that could be his biggest test for the moment

• Nearly half – 40 out of 92 – Remaining World Cup players . Jonathan Lieuw looks at what that means, why people should not give too much credit to the league yet.

• Shameless flattery, dubious fluidity and warm ovations: Sarah Lyall wrote on the glorious stew and great theater that is the World Cup Press Conference

• Why All Cup Players of the world put their hand in the head after a virtual absence? It turns out that there is a psychological explanation.

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