Düsseldorf, St. Petersburg 1.7 billion euros. The French sports newspaper “L’Equipe” estimates the market values of the likely starting players in the World Cup semi-finals between France and Belgium on this total. Kylian Mbappé therefore makes a contribution of 400 million euros, Antoine Griezmann contributes 120 million euros, Pogba, Kanté and Varane each increase by 100 million euros.
For the Belgians, the ex-Wolfsburg Kevin De Bruyne with 200 million euros is the measure of all things, even if the potential replacements of Eden Hazard with 170 million and Romelu Lukaku with 150 million euros are in similar spheres. Nevertheless, according to the newspaper, the balance of 1.04 billion to 695 million euros is in favor of the French.
It is not a coincidence. Like the Belgians, France has produced a highly talented generation of players. And thanks to investor money, Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco again have a say in the international arena. It’s a little symptomatic of Belgium’s football. For years the “Red Devils” have been one of the favorites for big titles. And for years now, Belgium has failed surprisingly early for all experts. Now there is an early World Cup final against France. Both teams stood out as the strongest in the tournament. France showed tactically outstanding football against Uruguay and knows how to use the individual class of their stars. Belgium not only showed the most beautiful counterattack of the tournament, Kevin De Bruyne is currently considered the best playmaker in the world – he makes the beautiful game efficient. What the teams have in common: They appear as one team.
Finding a favorite is difficult. Those involved also know that themselves. “They have great players, but we also know our qualities,” said France’s shooting star Benjamin Pavard from VfB Stuttgart. After Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne cannot scare the French either. “There will be eleven terriers against Belgium,” said his colleague Lucas Hernandez before the World Cup semi-finals on Tuesday (8:00 p.m. CEST / ARD and Sky) in St. Petersburg. France coach Didier Deschamps promised: “We will do everything we can to take this chance and make it to the final.”
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But everyone in the Equipe Tricolore also knows what the Red Devils are capable of. In the quarter-finals, they destroyed the title dreams of record world champions Brazil in an impressive manner. “If you beat Brazil, you don’t have to fear anyone,” says offensive player Nacer Chadli: “For us, it’s the most important game of our lives. We are ready to fight. “
32 years ago Belgium failed in its only World Cup semi-final to date to Diego Maradona and eventual world champion Argentina. In the game for third place there was also a defeat against the French. Just no déjà vu, the Belgians say to themselves. “In 1986 in Mexico we were a golden generation. This is a brilliant one, ”believes Belgium goalkeeping legend Jean-Marie Pfaff.
The 2-1 victory in Russia’s quarter-finals against Neymar’s Brazilians further strengthened the Belgians’ confidence in their own strength. “I don’t think there is a big difference between Brazil and France,” said ex-Bundesliga professional Kevin De Bruyne.
But one thing is different: for the game against the French, he and his teammates get tips from none other than France’s record goal scorer Thierry Henry. The 40-year-old has been assistant coach to head coach Roberto Martínez since 2016. Henry won the first and so far only World Cup trophy for the Grande Nation at the home world championship 20 years ago.
The team’s captain at the time was today’s national coach Deschamps. “It’s bizarre because he’s French and sits on the opponent’s bench. It has to be bizarre for him, too, ”says the 49-year-old before the rendezvous in Russia. But not only Deschamps and Henry know each other very well. Raphaël Varane played at tournaments in Belgium as a boy, he was born not far from the border in Lille.
France’s captain Hugo Lloris plays at Tottenham Hotspur with Toby Alderweireld and Moussa Dembelé, center forward Olivier Giroud at Chelsea with Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois and offensive genius Eden Hazard. “It will be an unusual match,” predicted Lloris. “We know them well and they know us well.”
Belgium’s Hazard, on the other hand, had himself photographed as a little boy with his brothers Kylian and Thorgan at the seaside – all in the jersey of the French national team with the number 10, then the number of France’s icon Zinédine Zidane. Eden Hazard also has great respect for the new generation of French people. It was “a closed team with exceptional players like Antoine Griezmann or Kylian Mbappé,” he praised.
Even if the two countries with 66 million inhabitants are unequal on the French side and eleven million on the Belgian side, the French also like to make fun of the language of their smaller neighbors, it will be a game at eye level. “50:50”, Giroud assesses the chances. “The hardest is yet to come,” says Mbappé. “We haven’t achieved anything yet,” says Paul Pogba: “Our goal is not the semi-finals.”
Belgium has never made it to the World Cup final, the last time the French team was in Germany in 2006. Back then, the team lost to Italy on penalties. In 2014 France failed in the quarter-finals to Germany, in 2016 the team under Deschamps (in office since 2012) came second at the European Championships in their own country. “We missed something extraordinary back then. Now we should do everything we can to take advantage of this opportunity, ”demanded Deschamps.
President Emmanuel Macron insists on accompanying the Équipe tricolore on their penultimate stage on their tour through Russia. And no matter how the game ends, Macron wants to go into the dressing room afterwards, said association boss Noël Le Graët in an interview with the newspaper “Le Figaro” (Monday). Preferably to celebrate the entry into the final – just like Belgium’s King Philippe on the other side. Together with his wife, Queen Mathilde, he too announced his arrival.
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