France VS Belgium Match Prediction
2018-07-10
18:00:00
France
VS
Belgium
Our Prediction Tip
Belgium will win this match.
2018-07-1018:00:00 Belgium will win this match.
Belgium have won 30 of their 73 matches against France, compared to France's 24 wins, but there have only been five games between the two this century - all friendlies. Of those, Belgium have won two, there have been two 0-0 draws and France's last win came in 2004.
Last time out, in June 2015, Belgium were 3-0 and 4-1 up against France thanks to Marouane Fellaini's double and goals from Radja Naingollan and Eden Hazard. Late goals from Nabil Fekir and Dimitri Payet gave France a late sniff, but it was too little too late as Belgium won 4-3.
The last time they met at the World Cup was 1986, meanwhile, when France won 4-2 after extra time in the third-place play-off. Belgium have never reached the semi-finals since then… until now.
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Belgium are unbeaten in 24 matches, a run stretching back to August 2016
France have won seven and drawn two of their last nine matches
Belgium have never reached the World Cup final.
France have kept three clean sheets in their last four matches - Argentina are the only team to score from open play against them at this World Cup
There is very little to choose between two of the most impressive teams of the 2018 World Cup so far. France have stepped things up in the knock-out rounds while Belgium have won five from five and knocked the favourites, Brazil, out in the quarter-finals.
Belgium have not lost August 2016, however, and that makes it hard to back against them - even with their inexperience at this stage of the tournament.
To counter that inexperience, they have a team packed with winners - Kevin de Bruyne and Vincent Kompany won the Premier League last season, while Eden Hazard did it the year before and all three are key influential figures in this team.
The biggest handicap for the Belgians will be Thomas Meunier's suspension, but they have the strength in depth to reshuffle their tactics - Nacer Chadli and Marouane Fellaini having proved their worth after coming into the team.
France, by contrast, are at full strength and looked hugely impressive in wins against Argentina and Uruguay in the knock-out stages so far.
Kylian Mbappe has announced himself on the world stage and Antoine Griezmann's goal and assist in the quarter-final were proof (if it were even needed) of his value.
Their tactics, with Paul Pogba and Ngolo Kante sitting deep, can cut the supply to Romelu Lukaku but Belgium have Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard to counter that and Maroune Fellaini to punch holes in a more direct manner.
It is very hard to split the two teams but, after beating Brazil last time out, backing against Belgium would be a huge risk - however good France looked in the last two matches.
France are favourites to beat Belgium but there is not much between them - France are a best price of 8/5 to win with Betway, while Betfair are offering the best price of 11/5 on Belgium.
Eliminating the draw could be a safe back-up option - France are 8/11 with Ladbrokes and 888sport to win and draw no bet, while Belgium are 15/13 with 888sport.
Both teams to score, with both boasting plenty of attacking talent, is a best price of 19/20 with 10Bet. Belgium to win and BTTS is 11/2 with Bet365.
As for those goalscorers, Belgium's top goalscorer, Romelu Lukaku, is 8/5 to score at any time with Bet365 but has not scored since the second game. Neither has Eden Hazard but this could be the game for him to step up and make a difference. He is 11/4 to score at any time.
For France, Kylian Mbappe is 21/10 to score at any time, but Antoine Griezmann may be a better bet given he takes set pieces too. The Atletico Madrid man is 7/4 to score at any time.
1) Belgium to win and draw no bet at 15/13 with 888sport
2) Both teams to score at 19/20 with 10bet
3) Antoine Griezmann to score at any time at 7/4 with Bet365
France are favourites with the bookmakers, but this semi-final is a match-up between two of the most in-form teams in international football. Belgium are unbeaten since August 2016, however - they have are tough to beat and boast the likes of Lukaku, De Bruyne and Hazard to make a difference at the other end. It will be close, but these players have been dubbed Belgium's ‘golden generation' for a reason.
Blaise Matuidi is back from suspension after sitting out the quarter-final and he is likely to return on the left-wing in place of Corentin Tolisso. France are at full-strength for the game against Belgium and are unlikely to make any other changes to what has been a consistent starting XI.
Antoine Griezmann (forward) - Clever free-kick to set up the first goal against Uruguay before a touch of goalkeeping gaffe helped him to his third goal of the tournament.
Kylian Mbappe (forward) - France's teenage superstar has also scored three goals so far, two of which came in the second-round win against Argentina as he emerged as a Golden Ball contender.
Paul Pogba (midfielder) - After a slow start, the Manchester United midfielder has imposed himself on the midfield in his last two matches.
France scored either side of half-time to win a fiery, and at times bad-tempered, quarter-final against a fiery Uruguay side. Raphael Varane provided the breakthrough, heading in from Antoine Griezmann's free-kick after the Atletico Madrid man's clever dummy allowed Varane to get free in the middle. A great save by Hugo Lloris kept France ahead at half-time, with Diego Godin blazing the rebound over, before Griezmann struck the second - a long-range shot which Fernando Muslera badly misjudged and could only parry into his own net.
Since losing to Colombia in March, France Football team have won seven and drawn two of their nine subsequent matches. So far at this World Cup, Antoine Griezmann's penalty and an own goal helped them beat Australia 2-1 before Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal against Peru. A bore draw with Denmark sealed top spot but there was nothing boring about the thrilling 4-3 defeat of Argentina in the second round - Mbappe starring with two goals. The win against Uruguay in the quarter-finals set up their first World Cup semi-final since 2006.
Thomas Meunier will miss the match against France after picking up his second yellow-card of the tournament in the win against Brazil. Meunier's absence could see a switch back to three in defence, after opting for 4-3-3 against Brazil. That would mean Yannick Carrasco returning and Nacer Chadli playing at wing-back - as he did against England. Marouane Fellaini's return to the starting line-up was the reason for the tactical switch but he could retain his place against Brazil ahead of Dries Mertens, with Kevin de Bruyne playing in a more advanced role as a result.
Romelu Lukaku (striker) - Scored four times in the first two games although he has not added to that tally as he struggles to shake the tag of only performing against lesser opposition
Eden Hazard (winger) - Belgium's talisman, providing goals and assists including the cross for Fellaini's equaliser against Japan in the second round
Kevin de Bruyne (central midfielder) - After already impressing with his passing - as ever - de Bruyne took centre stage himself against Brazil with what proved to be the winning goal
Belgium team stunned Brazil in the quarter-finals, taking an early lead when Nacer Chadli's corner was deflected in by Fernandinho. Romelu Lukaku then burst through to tee up Kevin de Bruyne, who fired in a brilliant second to double the Belgian lead. Brazil hit back after the break when Renato Augusto heading in from Philippe Coutinho's inch-perfect cross, but Thibaut Courtois' brilliant last-minute save denied Neymar an equaliser and booked Belgium's place in the semi-finals.
Unbeaten since August 2016, Belgium have won seven in a row including all five at the World Cup. In Russia, they started with a 3-0 win against Panama - with all three goals after the break - before a lightning-fast start (and two goals apiece for Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard) helped them to a 5-2 win against Tunisia. A 1-0 win against England, in a match featuring two heavily-rotated teams, saw them qualify top of Group G before they came from 2-0 down to beat Japan 3-2 - Nacer Chadli scoring the winner late in stoppage time. They then beat Brazil last time out to give them a shot at their first ever World Cup final.
After both beating South American opponents in the quarter-finals - France defeating Uruguay and Belgium stunning Brazil - France and Belgium now meet in the World Cup 2018 semi-finals. It is the furthest Belgium have got since 1986 - they have never reached the final - while France last played a semi-final in 2006. France and Belgium play their semi-final in St Petersburg on Tuesday July 10, with the match kicking off at 9pm local time.
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