The all - Euro semifinals at the 2018 World Cup kick off Tuesday when neighboring nations — Belgium and France — square off at Saint Petersburg Stadium.
Goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois (of Belgium) and Hugo Lloris (of France) figure to be busy. Belgium and France both are potent goal - scoring threats. For France, 19 - year - old Kylian Mbappe has been a revelation. Mbappe's play has opened up chances for Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud. Those players will be a handful for Belgian defenders Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen and Marouane Fellaini.
Belgium's Romelu Lukaku has scored four goals in this World Cup, tied for second with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Russia's Denis Cheryshev, and behind England's Harry Kane (6 goals). The Belgian offensive attack funnels through the talented duo of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne.
Belgium's best World Cup finish came in 1986, when it finished fourth, losing in the third - place game to France. France, of course, has one World Cup title, winning when it hosted the tournament in 1998. France reached the final at the 2006 World Cup, but were defeated in rather infamous fashion.
Source: USA Today