2018 World Cup: preparations begin for the semi-finals – live! | Soccer

It is fair to say that hopes are high for Belgium against France. Neighbors, rivals, two fantastic attack squads. And in the middle of all this, Thierry Henry. His influence on this Belgium team gave an already tempting spice touch.

The presence of Henry on the bench of Belgium for their semifinal against France Tuesday did not fail to comment Les Bleus . "It's weird," Didier Deschamps told Telefoot. Olivier Giroud was more frank. "I would be proud to show Titi that he chose the wrong camp."

There is no purpose, but Giroud co and Guivarc & # 39; h (I use it as a verb) France after Belgium and beyond, written by Stuart James

While Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann take advantage of the star, Giroud goes quietly to his business, out of the race for the Golden Boot but well in the race for a World Cup winner medal. Left out of the starting lineup for the opening match, Giroud has played the role of selflessly since, giving Mbappé and Griezmann the freedom to flourish.

This is how the players of England spend their days off. I have exactly the same configuration as that of the Guardian's office in Sydney

Me and Mike Hytner are recreating this right now.

Belgium to win everything, England to lose the final, and France and Croatia in the semifinals. Well, that's what the latest power rankings say. Read more:

Nakul Bhagwat writes with the first email. And he's a cracker. "Longtime reader, writer for the first time," he begins. "Sir Gareth seems to be the consensual choice for the best-dressed manager of this year's World Cup, who was the worst dressed?" My nomination is Jorge Sampaoli with his t-shirts a little too tight, which (rightly) seemed to blaze under pressure. "

Great choice, Nakul. I will say Joachim Löw. Eight years ago, I thought that his wavy bangs and European V-neck were a breath of fresh air. But there was something about this year's issue, a thin, blue t-shirt that seemed to be tight in all the wrong places.

And yes, the comments were there for about 20 minutes, but they are back now! Ring below the line – who can take the ill-fitting crown of Sampaoli?

Uh … congratulations Bozza? Mark Bosnich, who currently practices his referee job for Fox Sports Australia, has just offered his partner. Via the selfie camera. From Russia. With the wind all rattling in the speaker. Hope she says yes.

Spain news: Luis Enrique is the new my swim from the national team. This is in all newspapers and in all radio newsletters. It will be officially announced, by the bigwig Luis Rubiales no doubt, later today. But it seems to be over.

The former coach of Barcelona will be named definitively, now that the relay of Fernando Hierro, rather failed, is over. Enrique, who won the 2015 Champions League with this formidable Messi trident, Neymar and Suarez, is on sabbatical since leaving camp Nou in May of last year.

Naaman Zhou

In the eighth episode of the fourth season of the Simpsons (New Kid on the Block), Bart falls in love. Stay with me here. He is so happy when Laura Powers, the object of his affection, touches his hand that he does not wash it for days, trying to prolong that moment as long as he can.

Well, that's my attempt – in vain of course – to do the same for this World Cup. I will say it. I dont want it to end. If it gave us another week, another round, I would never wash those fingers again.

But it does not work that way. We are tipping towards the end, everything converges towards the inside. The absolute tragedy of the competition is this horrific exponential sense of football decadence. 4 games remaining. How? After Saturday, 1.

So, I'm thankful, more than you can believe, for today. This blog is another day to discuss, theorize, to imagine all these clbadic clashes before the reality hits – a grim 0-0 in one, a draw against Mario Mandžukić in the other, and the end. 19659022] This could be only a day off, but it's another day where it's not over yet. England is already in the land of dreams. Croatia and Belgium? They are also. Let's try to stay there, at least a little longer.

Send me an email at [email protected], and tweet me at @naamanzhou. Or as always, comment below the line. Let's continue that.