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France and Belgium will face St. Petersburg in the first semi-final of the World Cup in Russia, a game that will pit two different visions of football: the athletic ability of the Gauls against offensive talent of the Red Devils.
By the hand of Spanish coach Roberto Martínez, reach the semifinals of the World Cup for the second time in their history. In the first in 1986, Argentina's Diego Maradona deprived them of the final.
This time, and after two consecutive failures at the 2014 World Cup and at Euro 2016, the Belgian "golden generation" seems to be reaching maturity. the historical opportunity to fight for the title.
"Roberto Martínez gave this generation the culture of triumph, that is what it lacked" to Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku and company, assured Jean-François Sart, the coach of the Olympic team who reached the semi-finals in Beijing in 2008 and who had in his ranks several of the current members of the team.
"Also, because of being Spanish, it ended with the usual communitarianism in Belgium, where the Flemish press criticized French coaches and vice versa," De Sart said.
The big game played by the Belgians in this World Cup has put aside all these conflicts Belgium is the team that has scored the most goals in the competition (14 in 5 matches) and up to 19 points. 9 players participated in the tournament. He is also the only one to have won all of his matches and has a run of 24 straight wins (19 wins and 5 draws), a record for the national team.
For this match, Martinez can not count on Thomas Meunier, sanctioned, and Nacer Chadli could occupy the right lane, while Yannick Carrasco would return to the starting lineup. Another doubt will be in the middle, because the coach could repeat the formula that gave him such a good result in the quarterfinals against Brazil, with Marouane Fellaini backing Axel Witsel in contention; or could return to a more offensive formula, with De Bruyne postponing his post to midfield and Dries Mertens entering the offensive trio with Hazard and striker Lukaku.
Against the waste of offensive talent, France will oppose its defensive strength, born of the extraordinary athletic ability of its players, especially in the middle with N & # 39; Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi, which should return to the team after serving a penalty game in the quarter-final against Uruguay.
] The Gauls only conceded 4 goals in 5 games (including 3 in the win over Argentina 4-3), leaving the goal at 0 out of 3, so it does not seem likely that Didier Deschamps introduced changes in defense.
Neither does it seem possible for Deschamps to change his attacking trident, given the value the coach gives Olivier Giroud's work to shine the two stars of the gala, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian M bappé
Compositions:
France
Hugo Lloris (Cape Town) – Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernandez – No Golo Kante, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi – Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud. DT: Didier Deschamps.
Belgium
Thibaut Courtois – Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen – Nacer Chadli, Axel Witsel, Marouane Fellaini (or Dries Mertens), Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco – Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard . DT: Roberto Martínez (ESP).
Referee: Andrés Cunha (URU)
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