Belgium had the best of the first half, overall France deserved the win, a very disciplined side and Mbappe is wonderful
Kante is player of the tournament. He has been immense from day 1.
Better team going through. Considering Giroud missed at least a hat-trick by himself they were probably more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
Pity Brazil didnât beat Belgium. Much the better team once they got going
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Signing in.
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Pogba being lauded for showing discipline⌠
Disappointed with Belgium there. They didnât perform and donât seem that upset about it. Of the four teams left they should be winning it and classing anything less as failure.
Rio talking about how weâll be faced with serious pace against France⌠I hope they get bbc in split or Zagreb?
Why should they be winning it ahead if France?
French players are better and at bigger clubs
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That game was reminiscent of the France v Portugal 2006 semi-final. A dour, boring game in which France were comfortable at 1-0 and their small country opposition meekly accepted their fate.
This French side wonât be played through, Croatia could bate England but wonât play through this really hard working French side with cante doing a Roy Keane on it. England, with set pieces could trouble them but it the French for me
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Southgate seems a bit too satisfied. Tradition matters at the business end. Itâs why France wonât be happy unless they win it whereas you suspect Croatia or England are in bonus territory.
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Koscielnyâs injury was a real blessing in disguise for France
France would beat Croatia quite comfortably in my view. Theyâd be much, much more wary of England, because they know that England would have the mentality to win a final whereas Croatia wouldnât.
Is this based on a game 52 years ago?
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Tradition matters in representative sport. It matters in GAA and it matters in international rugby. Big country mentality matters, especially in the latter stages of a World Cup.
Which do you think are more likely to have it - England or Croatia?
English children grow up believing that England is one of the great powers of world football and young English footballers grow up dreaming of winning a World Cup and with the genuine expectation that if they are good enough to make it at the top level they could be involved in a team that contends for a World Cup - Croatian children donât, Belgian children donât.
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What tradition is that? France only turning one of their five previous semi final appearances prior to 2018 into a World Cup win?
Check out who won it in 1966 and who invented the game.
France were in the World Cup Final in 98 and 06 so I think youâre wrong there mate. On the other hand England have been in two semi finals ever and not in one in 28 years
It hasnât helped them over the last 20 years if England do have it. Tradition does matter when countries actually have that tradition of getting to World Cup semis and finals but England donât. I would give England more of a chance than Croatia in a potential final but that is down to their strength at set pieces rather than tradition
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France were in the semi finals in 1958, 82, 86, 98 and 2006. Of those five semi final appearances, as Iâve already pointed out, they only won the big pot once. You might want to re-evaluate who is wrong here.