Misfiring Olivier Giroud making unwanted World Cup history for France

MOSCOW, July 9 ― Belgium will be deeply disappointed if they fail to win the World Cup, defender Thomas Vermaelen said yesterday, in the first direct acknowledgement of the team's belief in their ability to emerge triumphant in Russian Federation.

And the neighbouring towns of Wervik in Belgium and Wervicq-Sud in France will close the bridge between them to traffic on Tuesday evening, regional newspaper La Voix du Nord reported.

Henry, a World Cup victor with France in 1998, will switch allegiances for Tuesday's World Cup semi-final as he is a coach in Roberto Martinez's Belgium backroom staff.

France goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris is rallying around his team Les Bleus prepare for their crucial World Cup Semi final clash with Belgiun here tonight.

Courtois boasts two clean sheets from five matches in Russian Federation while Lloris has two in four. "I would be very proud to show Thierry that he chose the wrong camp".

French players in a past World Cup match.

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Hierro was appointed acting coach after a surprise sacking of Julen Lopetegui who accepted to take over at Real Madrid . The 48-year-old won two La Liga titles and the Champions League with the Catalan side before stepping down last year.

"I would have preferred to have Henry on our side, to give me and the other French forwards advice, but I am not too jealous", the 31-year-old Giroud said.

"He's a different player now", De Bruyne added.

"All I am going to say now is that we are in the semifinal and we have the chance to play in the final of the World Cup, so let's try to do everything".

- France's Kylian Mbappe (three) is the highest scoring teenager in a World Cup tournament since Pele scored six in 1958. My job is to be good on the pitch, to represent France as well as possible.

"At that time I didn't know him but now he's been playing for a year and a half".