France and Belgium have charted similar paths to their World Cup semi-final clash on Tuesday. The two European neighbours rely on high-flying attacks led by some of the best players in the world.
While other stars have been hogging the limelight for France, Antoine Griezmann has gone slightly unnoticed, but he’s served as an excellent chief creator for his team – much like Eden Hazard has for Belgium, in more show-stopping, headline-grabbing ways.
The two men, along with their respective striker partners Olivier Giroud and Romelu Lukaku, hold the hopes of their nations at their feet as a place in the final is on the line, and they headline our key battles for the match at Saint Petersburg (22:00 UAE time).
Antoine Griezmann vs Eden Hazard
Griezmann hasn’t quite burst into life at the World Cup, but he’s been exactly what France have needed him to be. His interventions have rarely been spectacular – his three goals are two penalties and a goalkeeping error – but his vision, passing, pace and movement have been crucial to Les Bleus’ success.
His link-up play with Giroud and Kylian Mbappe has been a standout feature of his game, but it’s the understanding he has on the pitch with Paul Pogba that truly makes France tick. The partnerships with all three are why Griezmann is at the heart of France’s best play.
That’s exactly the sort of role Hazard has been craving on a stage like this.
This is arguably the biggest moment of his career, and Hazard’s been performing almost with an air of nonchalance – as if he realises that he’s simply delivering on a promise, finally fulfilling expectations for a Belgian public that has been waiting for both player and team to play like this for a long time.
Hazard’s form in Russia has vaulted him into the Ballon d’Or conversation. Another telling display in the semi-final – and then perhaps a final – would go a long way in boosting his case.
Olivier Giroud vs Romelu Lukaku
Giroud hasn’t scored a goal, hasn’t even had a shot on target for France this tournament, and yet he’s undroppable.
His role as a target man for France allows players like Mbappe and Griezmann to run off him and get into space. Mbappe, especially, has benefitted from the attention Giroud commands just through his presence, as it allows him to use his pace to its fullest effect.
France’s success at the tournament has kept the talk around Giroud’s own lack of production down to a relative minimum. But wouldn’t he love to bury it completely?
Lukaku can serve as a target man just as well as Giroud can, if not better. His play as a focal point for Belgium’s attack, coupled with his pace and link-up play, has unlocked the Red Devils’ counter-attacking ability, and in their stunning quarter-final win over Brazil he showcased his adaptability, playing in the unfamiliar position of right winger and doing so with aplomb.
He’s likely to be reverted to his usual position against France – not that it will reduce Belgium’s potential to be devastating. For a player in Lukaku’s form, with the Golden Boot a real possibility, history beckons.
Raphael Varane vs Vincent Kompany
Raphael Varane is still developing as a defender – unsurprising, given he’s only 25 – but there have been signs this summer that he is coming into his own at the heart of his national team’s defence.
He looks far more assured and commanding than his centre-back colleague, Samuel Umtiti – not to mention, a greater threat in the opposition box. Varane’s movement to get free for his goal in the quarter-final against Uruguay would have made a centre-forward proud.
The challenge now is to build on that performance against the toughest attack France have faced in this tournament.
Vincent Kompany, on the other end of his career compared to Varane, has made his latest recovery from injury at the perfect time for Belgium. He put in a warrior-like display against Brazil, and it was clear how much the moment meant to him. His career has been blighted by injuries – his 80 international caps are ten fewer than Hazard, five years his junior – and seeing Belgium underachieve before this tournament will have hurt him more than most.
But Belgium finally playing up to their potential gives Kompany a shot at the biggest glory of his career. He will be craving a win on Tuesday more than anyone else.
