France are up for the fight – but don’t call us favourites, says Lloris

HUGO Lloris shifted uncomfortably on the spot at the notion of France as World Cup favourites.

They are the only country left standing who have won the trophy in the last half-century or even reached the final.

Perhaps the goalkeeper’s mind flashed back to the defeat in Paris at the hands of Portugal two years ago, when the French were heavily fancied to claim the European title on home turf. Perhaps it was sporting superstition or respect for the Russian roulette nature of a tournament which has delighted in humbling some of the biggest reputations. Either way, he declined the accolade. ‘I don’t think so,’ said Lloris, speaking before Belgium had knocked out Brazil. ‘A nation like Brazil with all its talent and history has to be the favourites and if Belgium beat them then that fact will make them favourites.’

France had just seen off Uruguay, winning a disjointed and fractious game without playing well. They have a wealth of quality in most areas and steady momentum, the experience of the Euros and Didier Deschamps, a manager who was the captain 20 years ago when they won the World Cup.

‘We all belong to our generation,’ said Lloris. ‘He had this amazing experience as a player and as a captain.

‘He won the World Cup and it is the only one that we, France, have won. Hopefully, we can do it again. We don’t want to stop at this stage. We want to go on and it’s important that we believe in ourselves and we do.

‘To win the semi-final we need to play at a better level than we did against Uruguay. We will be up against a great Belgium team with fantastic players.

‘It will be a big, big fight and I hope we are ready for it.’

It will be a reunion with some familiar faces for the Tottenham captain, as he lines up against Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Moussa Dembele.

With Harry Kane at the top of the goal charts, Eric Dier converting the vital penalty for England against Colombia and rave reviews for wing back Kieran Trippier, it has been a strong World Cup for Spurs.

‘It’s very good for the image of the club,’ said Lloris. ‘It is good experience and good for the future of the club. Hopefully, a Tottenham player will become a World Cup winner. Obviously, there is one I wish for the most. We will see, there are still two games to go.’

Antoine Griezmann stepped forward against Uruguay, creating the first goal for Raphael Varane and scoring the second in a 2-0 win. Kylian Mbappe stole the headlines with two goals in a thriller against Argentina in the last 16 so the attacking stars are shining and Deschamps praised the attitude of his players.

‘To be a competitor at the top level involves giving your all for the whole team,’ said the France boss. ‘I did that as a player and I am not going to change.

‘You can be as talented as you want but without the right attitude you cannot build a team. My players have youth but they have the right attitude.’

Up front, Olivier Giroud, without a goal, has galvanised the team and N’Golo Kante dominates midfield just as he does at Chelsea.

Lloris, for his part, continues to prove an intelligent and dignified captain, a calming influence and a brilliant goalkeeper.

At 1-0 in the quarter-final, the 31-year-old produced one of the saves of the tournament to deny Martin Caceres and Diego Godin and protect France’s lead against Uruguay.

‘Everything went so fast,’ said Lloris. ‘The important thing is to make the right decision at the right moment.

‘I made the first move towards the ball, then you think that the most important thing is to get up quickly because the ball was still alive. ‘It is on the rebound and I had to make myself as big as possible and make the space for Godin as small as possible.’

There was even a measure of sympathy and goalkeeping solidarity from Lloris for Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera, who pushed Griezmann’s shot into the net for France’s second when he really ought to have saved it.

‘He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and he has done fantastically for Uruguay,’ said Lloris. ‘The ball moved and that is part of the game, part of being a goalkeeper, there is nobody behind to save you.

‘The ball they are using in the World Cup is very fast. You need to think quickly as a goalkeeper and with this ball you need to think very quickly — when to punch, when to catch.

‘This is something else we have had to adapt to our game since coming here.’

France, indeed, are adapting well, growing in the competition with their eyes on the prize.

Just don’t call them favourites. BELIEF: France keeper Hugo Lloris