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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.
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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.
#4 N'Golo Kanté (France)
N'Golo Kanté made his international debut in March 2016 against The Netherlands in a 3-2 win at Amsterdam Arena.
He was selected in the French squad for the 2016 UEFA Euro and appeared in his first competitive match on 10th June 2016 in France's opening game against Romania and assisted Dimitri Payet's winning goal in a 2-1 victory. He was unused in the final which France lost 1-0 to Portugal in extra time.
Kanté currently plays for Premier League side Chelsea after signing for the London based club in 2016.
He was a part of the Leicester City squad that won the historic league title in the 2015-16 season and became the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win back‑to-back top-flight titles in England with two different clubs as he once again won the league title with Chelsea in 2017.
He has excellent ball holding ability in the midfield and plays a vital role in initiating attacking moves. Aside from his playing ability Kanté has also been praised for his discipline by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Kanté has played every minute in France's five games till now and will be a key member of the French squad in Tuesday's Semi-Final clash against Belgium.
#3 Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
The 27-year-old midfielder made his full international debut in 2010, and has earned 66 caps and scored 15 goals.
He has represented Belgium at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and at the UEFA Euro 2016 in France and is currently a core member of the Belgian squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
At club level, De Bruyne plays for English side Manchester City and had a successful 2017-18 season with them as he won the Premier League and the EFL cup. He ended the league season as the top assist provider with 16 assists and won the Premier League Playmaker of the season award.
De Bruyne is a versatile player who mainly plays as a central or attacking midfielder but can also play as a winger or second striker. He is a modern day playmaker who is known for his wide range of passing abilities and long-range shooting skills.
He has played 360 minutes at the 2018 FIFA World Cup for Belgium in four matches and has scored one goal and provided one assist. He will prove to be a vital player for the Red Devils against France as his playmaking skills are the essence of Belgian midfield.
#2 Kylian Mbappé (France)
The teenage genius made his senior international debut just last year and has since appeared for Les Bleus on 19 occasions, scoring seven goals.
He was called up to the French squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and scored his first World Cup goal in France's 1-0 victory over Peru. By doing so he became the youngest French goalscorer at the World Cup at age 19.
He played three seasons with Ligue 1 side Monaco and won the 2016-17 league title with them.
He transferred to Paris Saint-Germain last year on loan and once again won the league title. He made 44 appearances for the Parisian club and scored 21 goals in the 2017-18 season.
His pace and dribbling skills are widely praised and comparisons have also been drawn with the Brazilian Ronaldo for his style of play.
Mbappé is the second youngest player at this summer's mega-event and has already made his mark at football's greatest stage after scoring three goals in five games of which two came in the Round of 16 tie against Argentina.
#1 Eden Hazard (Belgium)
Hazard made his senior international debut with Belgium in 2008, aged 17, in a friendly game against Luxembourg.
He has made 90 appearances for the Belgian national side and has scored 24 goals. He was appointed the captain of Belgium for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
He plays for Chelsea FC in the Premier League and has won numerous titles with the club. He won the PFA Players' player of the year and FWA Footballer of the year awards in the 2014-15 season as he helped Chelsea win the League cup and Premier League.
The 27-year-old Belgian international plays as either an attacking midfielder or winger. He is widely praised for his dribbling skills and ability to use both feet which allows him to regularly switch flanks.
He also has the ability to hold the ball in the midfield region and find spaces to initiate attacking moves.
Hazard has been in top form at this summer's mega event in Russia as he has scored 2 goals and provided two assists in the four matches that he has played.
Who do you think will have the most impact in the first semi-final? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!
