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T was a bit late in Belgium's win over Brazil on Friday when Eden Hazard paused. He charged into half of the opposition, went back inside and, as the runners pbaded near him, taking away the defenders with them, the space would open for a pbad to the left to substitute Yuri Tielemans. There was an overlap, a chance of a third goal that would have ended the game. Hazard saw it. He tried to play it. But his legs, for once, did not obey. The ball was going in the right direction but with nothing good enough; Marcelo intercepted. Hazard was essentially too exhausted to pbad a 40-yard ball. Like the rest of the team, it was spent.
If Brazil had found a late equalizer, there could only be one winner in overtime. Belgium had given everything, including Hazard, which does not necessarily have the reputation of the industry. This, and his slightly hesitant personality, were at the heart of his difficult relationship with Jose Mourinho in Chelsea. But here he ran until he could not run anymore.
Hazard said his model was still Ronaldinho: he wanted to do his tricks and play with a smile on his face. He watched the Brazilian and copied his movements. He works much harder than Ronaldinho and often wears a frown rather than the broad smile of his idol, but the original hides under the surface; he jokingly refers to the Chelsea training ground as "Cobham-Cabana". And against Brazil, Hazard was exceptional, as all the top three of Belgium have been.
His work, in a sense, was simple. It was not the vanguard role that he held for Belgium and that he played for Chelsea over the past two seasons. In Kazan, he started big in a 4-3-3 but with a briefing to cut the space in the gaps left when Kevin De Bruyne dropped deep from his wrong position 9. The danger was against the only potentially link weak on the Brazilian side, the third-right right-back, Fagner. Mexico's Carlos Vela dominated early in the last 16 clashes in Samara; Hazard treated him as a slightly cumbersome drive cone. He managed with all his first five dribbles.
1) Nifty Tactically Manager
Roberto Martínez has often been accused of reckless naiveté when it comes to tactics, but the approach he's taken for Beating Brazil – narrowing the Belgian midfielder and placing Romelu Lukaku in a wide-right role – shows that he is smart as well as flexible. It will have a plan for France
2) Four world clbad players
Belgium also beat Brazil because, quite simply, they have very good players, especially their first three. Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Lukaku, and – as he showed with a series of backups Friday – Thibaut Courtois. In what is likely to be a tight semi-final, the goalkeeper could prove crucial.
3) Belief
Belgium believes. This could be removed from their celebrations after the final whistle in Kazan, as well as how they celebrated the goals and wins throughout this tournament – with a sense of collective purpose and purpose. # 39; unit. This, more than anything, could help them become world champions.
After the match, Brazilian coach Tite retracted his previous complaint to God about all the injuries suffered by his team, but said it would have been a different game if Dani Alves had not not been ruled out before the tournament. It could have been a different game even if Danilo had been fit.
Fagner was exposed and unable to cope. Brazil's 4-4-2 comeback at the break meant Gabriel Jesus had a cover, but Belgium were leading 2-0. While Romelu Lukaku encircled a flank, crushing Marouane Fellaini and Thomas Meunier, a Brazilian left too prepared for the attack, Hazard made a split on the other side: two different threats, both revived by Roberto's tactical turnaround Martínez, both frighteningly effective.
It was a performance that could have long-term consequences. The situation in Chelsea is far-fetched. Antonio Conte could be sacked next week, or he could still show up at work, the most unlikely of the world, George Costanza, to train when the first wave of players will come back for pre-season, Monday
left in tears by the defeat of the World Cup – video
We've been talking for years about the possibility that Real Madrid will make a move for Hazard, and this has grown more recently, while Hazard has not downplayed the transfer of one. transfer after the FA Cup final in May. It's always hard to know what's going on, Cristiano Ronaldo's representatives are at least negotiating with Juventus. If the vacancy does not open this summer, it will be sooner rather than later. Florentino Pérez, the president of Madrid, is often influenced by the World Cups. After Mesut Özil in 2010 and James Rodríguez in 2014, could Hazard be his big madness after the tournament this year?
France has faced Belgium 73 times, winning 24 and losing 30
7 June 2015
France 3 Belgium 4
Marouane Fellaini was too hot for France to handle a year out of Euro 2016, with two goals before half-time at the Stade de France, ahead of Radja Nainggolan and Eden Hazard added two more after the break. It was the second defeat of France since the 2014 World Cup and proved a grim sign before its defeat against Portugal in the final at Saint-Denis just over 12 months later .
May 27, 1998
Belgium 0 France 1
The last time the two teams clashed, it was at the King's Cup Hbadan II in Casablanca in preparation for the World Cup. Only one goal in the second half Zinedine Zidane enough to separate them, France continuing to "win" a mini-league also including Morocco and England Glenn Hoddle, who drew 0-0 against Belgium before losing on penalties.
28 June 1986
Belgium 2 France 4 (aet)
France won Puebla's pride at the Mexico City World Cup, winning the third place with two goals in addition time after the end of 90 minutes 2-2. Jan Ceulemans gave the advantage to Belgium, before Jean-Marc Ferreri and Jean-Pierre Papin fought back, with upgrades from Nico Claesen. The goals of Bernard Genghini and Manuel Amoros sentenced Belgium to fourth place after the two teams lost their respective semi-finals 2-0.
16 June 1984
France 5 Belgium 0
With eight teams competing in France at the 1984 European Championship, the hosts were in full form on the way to a first major international title. Both teams had won their opening matches – Belgium 2-0 against Yugoslavia, hosts 1-0 against Denmark – but a hat-trick from Michel Platini and one each from Alain Giresse and Luis Fernández made for a miserable night for the Belgians in Nantes
5 June 1938
France 3 Belgium 1
The first big match of the tournament, indeed the first non-friendly , opposed the last World Cup that took place before the Second World War – and the final without group stage. The victory of the host country, thanks to a goal scored in the first minute by Emile Veinante and a double Jean Nicolas, allowed Italy to impose 3-1 in Paris. Certainly it was a direct hearing against Neymar – football matches are very rare these days, except when impressionable presidents are involved – there was only one. 39, only one winner.
Neymar feels more and more victim of his own celebrity being the star in the biopic of his own life. His best football came to Barcelona, when the weight of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and all the post-Cruyffian machine imposed some submission to the collective
Otherwise, in Paris Saint-Germain and with Brazil, his solipsism unchecked – as if you had been told since your childhood that you were the new Pele. A few hours after the final whistle, he wandered alone around the parking lot in front of the Kazan Arena, unable to find the Brazilian bus or hesitating to ride it, a poignant figure battling the toxic combination of his ego and the expectations of his country. The danger is very different, calmer, more introverted, less confident. It will not brighten a room with a smile. He's not going to send hordes of impressionable teenagers squeezing the last break from their hero to the hairdressers. He can not appreciate the circus Madrid is becoming so often.
But he will follow a tactical plan, he will not elaborate too much and he will devastate a lateral who will give him a half-luck. In a post-Ronaldo world, Hazard is perhaps only the non-celebrity need of Real Madrid. Whatever it is, he is a supremely skilful and efficient footballer
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Tags Brilliance consequences Cup Eden Hazard Jonathan longterm soccer Wilson world
