In the lead up to the semi-final between Belgium and France, there was plenty of talk about Mbappe, Griezmann, Hazard and De Bruyne. Some of the world’s best footballers were lining up to compete for the place in the World Cup final – a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of them.
The footballing talent was not the only discussion point; as football experts analysed in great detail the tactical nous of both Martinez and Deschamps. Both managers had enjoyed successful footballing careers, with Deschamps picking up over 100 caps for France and Martinez slightly more low-key with stints at Wigan and Swansea. They are two managers who know their football, having both been involved in the game for such a long time.
The Tactical prowess of Martinez and Deschamps
So it was inevitable that comparisons would be made regarding their tactical prowess, as they masterminded their respective team’s progress into the World Cup semi-finals. Neither team is shy of great players but as we saw with Brazil; sometimes having great players does not guarantee success.
The game itself started in what looked to be a very tactically orchestrated manner. Fellaini started for Belgium and it was clear that they wanted to leverage his power and height to get at the France defence. Evidently prepared for this, Deschamps had instructed Pogba to stick with Fellaini when he was in an attacking position.
Like a game of chess
The first half was an intense almost chess-like game, with neither team finding the crucial moment to score. The stats show that Belgium had 63.7% of the possession throughout the game but only three shots on target. With Lloris in fine form, they just could not find the goal they needed.
51 minutes in, Umtiti headed France into the lead and a tired looking Belgium could not muster up enough creativity to pull one back. Courtois had an outstanding game to ensure it stayed at 1-0 but Belgium had run out of steam.
Mbappe – the shining star again
There were glimpses of brilliance again from Mbappe and it really is shaping up to be his World Cup tournament – and he could now be on his way to replacing Ronaldo in more ways than one!
