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More than just neighbors, 20-year-old friends and club partners: the France-Belgium clash, which will see Thierry Henry face his former captain Didier Deschamps, risks being charged with emotions. But Tuesday in St. Petersburg (18:00 GMT), it is especially a place in the final of the World Cup-2018 is at stake.
His name is on everyone's lips since the announcement of the poster: Thierry Henry, the best scorer in the history of the Blues (51 goals in 123 caps), world champion 1998 and Europe 2000, is today one of the badistant coaches of the Belgian, Roberto Martinez.
"Obviously, it is a difficult situation for him.This happens sometimes club: when you are in a foreign club and you return to play against a French club, you are part of the enemy team.There is still a step up he is going to be on the bench, and in front there is his country, his nation, "said Deschamps, former captain of Thierry Henry and now coach of the France team.
His mission? Bringing the culture of winning to the talented "golden generation", always looking for a first trophy.
"He brings us what a former elite footballer thinks, then a coach, who by his dedication, attention to detail, trying to help any player on the team, it was the perfect piece that our technical staff lacked, "said Martinez at the press conference before match.
Will he still sing La Marseillaise before kick-off? "I do not know, he did not tell me what he's going to do, maybe he's going to sing La Marseillaise, which I think is normal," said Kevin De Bruyne.
"During 90 minutes his heart will be only Belgian ", wants to believe Jean-Marie Pfaff, ex-goalkeeper of the Red Devils in half of the World-1986.
" I would be proud to be able to show to + Titi + (Henry) that he chose the bad camp, "retorted from a distance Giroud. The match promises
. Reunion on all floors
Beyond the duel on the bench between the two 20 year old friends, there will be a battle side of the Premier League with this semifinal: between Tottenham's teammates (Hugo Lloris, and Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele) or those of Manchester United (Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku), the players of both sides know each other by heart.
For Olivier Giroud, "it's a special match: we did not not want to be chambered at the return in pre-season ". Giroud and N'Golo Kanté play Chelsea alongside Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois, two of the "Red Devils".
"To play all year long with N'Golo (Kanté) is the best player in the world at his job (…) When he is at the top, you have a 95% chance of winning the match, "said Eden Hazard in an interview with beIN Sports.
The duel between the N.10 of the "Red Devils" and the midfielder of the Blues is also announced as one of the keys of the match in St. Petersburg.
In France, everyone knows Eden Hazard , arrived at the age of 14 at the Lille training center, launched in the grand bath of the L1 at 16, then great craftsman of the doubled Coupe de France-Losc Championship in 2011.
Little Eden has become big, with the trophies of L1's best hope in 2009 and 2010 and then L1's best player in 2011 and 2012, before leaving for Chelsea
Eden Hazard is "almost a Frenchman", Giroud amused himself. The head of the French federation, Noël Le Graët, interviewed by AFP, described the native of La Louvière as "a huge player."
Hazard, in return for politeness, raved about Kylian Mbappé . "For me, it's really a mix of Thierry Henry and Ronaldo + O Fenomeno +", said the Chelsea player in the Belgian weekly Sport / Foot Magazine. "And do not forget, he is 19. As a football admirer, you can only enjoy it."
Mbappé was absent Monday from the collective training during the open quarter of an hour to the press, while Kanté and lateral Benjamin Pavard remained apart. But Didier Deschamps spoke of developments "as a precaution" and does not plan "no lump" for the semifinal against Belgium Tuesday.
The stakes are huge for two generations talented: a qualification in the final a world, the opportunity for a career. "I think we have the opportunity to score the history of the French team, it's especially that," said Lloris. "When you have arrived (in half), you want to continue until the end," retorted De Bruyne.
The ambitions are the same, but there will only be one happy.
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