World Cup 2018, France vs Belgium: 5 Key players to watch out for
The first semi-final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will be played on Tuesday between tournament favourites France and dark horses Belgium who will be making a semi-final appearance after 32 years.
The match will be played at the Saint Petersburg stadium and will be a thrilling encounter between two attacking sides.
France finished at top of their group and faced Argentina in the Round of 16. The game saw seven goals being scored as Les Bleus edged past a mundane Argentine side by a scoreline of 4-3.
They faced Uruguay next in the quarter-finals and were successful in breaching the strong defensive line-up of the South Americans as they won the game 2-0 and confirmed a semi-final berth.
Belgium are currently witnessing a golden era of football as they have one of the most lethal attacking line-up in the world that can be clinical in deciding the outcome of games.
They are the only side at this World Cup that has won all its games in regulation time. The Red Devils won their group and faced Japan in the Round of 16. In the game against Japan they conceded two goals in quick succession and it looked as if a major upset was on the cards.
However, Belgium began their comeback at the 69th minute when Jan Vertonghen scored a header and just five-minutes later Marouane Fellaini headed home the equalizer. Belgium won the game 3-2 as Nacer Chadli scored the winner in the dying moments.
They played South American heavyweights Brazil in the quarter-final and shocked the world as they came out on top to win the game 2-1 and booked a place in the World Cup semi-final.
We now take a look at five key players who will play a vital role for their side in the all-important semi-final match on Tuesday.
#5 Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
The 25-year-old striker made his debut for the senior Belgium side in 2010 and since then has appeared for the national side 73 times. He is currently Belgium's all-time top goalscorer with 40 goals and is a vital part of Belgian Football's golden generation.
Lukaku plays for Premier League side Manchester United where he moved from Everton in 2017. He had a successful 2017-18 season with the Manchester club as he found the net 27 times in 51 appearances and ended the season as the top goalscorer for the club.
He is a left-footed player who is known for his physicality and ability to get around defenders. He is an all-round striker whose strengths include through balls, finishing, dribbling and headed attempts. Lukaku is not only a typical goal-poacher as he also has the ability to find spaces and create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Lukaku has been in fine form as he has scored four goals and provided one assist in four games. He will be looking to create history with his national side on Tuesday by beating France and reaching the World Cup final.