Hazard’s Belgium block France path as neighbours clash in World Cup semi

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SAINT PETERSBURG, July 9, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Eden Hazard and a brilliant
Belgian generation stand between France and a place in the World Cup final as
the countries bring their historic rivalry to Tuesday’s first semi-final in
Saint Petersburg.

Not since 1986 have Belgium made it this far at the World Cup, losing to a
Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina in Mexico and then going down 4-2 to France
in the third-place play-off, the last competitive meeting of the nations.

In the years since, France have won one World Cup and one European
Championship, and lost the 2006 World Cup final. Now, with Kylian Mbappe
their new standard-bearer, they are dreaming of getting there again.

Belgium disappeared from the forefront of the international scene for years
before emerging once more with their current gifted crop.

With Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, they lost in the 2014 World
Cup quarter-finals and at the same stage at Euro 2016, but under Roberto
Martinez in Russia they have already taken an extra step after stunning
Brazil in the last eight in Kazan.

“They are a great team with a very good generation of players who have been
playing together for several years,” admitted France striker Olivier Giroud,
who plays with Hazard and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at Chelsea.

“We don’t want to have them taking the mickey out of us. There is a big
rivalry between France and Belgium, it’s like a derby match.”

Beyond the geographical and linguistic ties, many of these players also
know each other intimately from the Premier League.

Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku were already close friends before becoming
colleagues at Manchester United. But Hazard sums up better than anyone the
close links between the nations.

Born in the French-speaking part of Belgium, he came through as a player
across the border at Lille, and was the outstanding player in the team that
won the French league and cup double in 2011 before eventually moving on to
Chelsea.

Now he is the talisman in a Belgium team who have won all five games in
Russia so far and are undefeated in 24 matches, although as a boy he idolised
Zinedine Zidane.

The French will remember well what happened when the teams last met, with
Belgium tearing them apart in a 4-3 friendly win in Paris in June 2015.

And the presence of French World Cup winner Thierry Henry on the Belgian
coaching staff as one of Martinez’s assistants adds extra spice to the
occasion.

“Of course I would prefer it if he were with us and he were giving me his
advice, but we mustn’t be jealous,” said Giroud.

Henry’s old international colleague Didier Deschamps has not won over
everybody in his time as France coach, as he continues to favour a cautious
approach despite being able to call on some of the finest attacking talents
in world football.

Mbappe, still just 19, has already moved clubs for 180 million euros ($212
million) and the Paris Saint-Germain forward announced himself on the World
Cup stage with his brilliant performance in France’s 4-3 win over Argentina
in the last 16.

Deschamps’ side were less thrilling, but equally efficient, as they saw off
Uruguay in the quarter-finals. They will need to be at their very best
defensively against the Belgians, and look to Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann to
get the better of the opposition defence.

“To do what (Mbappe) is doing at his age, I have never seen that, apart
from Messi,” said Belgium’s Nacer Chadli, scorer of their winning goal
against Japan in the last 16.

“We came through the Japan game, then we broke down a barrier by beating
Brazil. When you beat Brazil you don’t fear anyone.”

Chadli could play as a right wing-back for Belgium in the absence of the
suspended Thomas Meunier, with Thomas Vermaelen possibly starting. France
welcome back midfielder Blaise Matuidi after suspension.