South America out of World Cup semis
France vs Belgium, Croatia vs England as South American nations exit from Fifa World Cup
MOSCOW— France faces Belgium and Croatia battles England as South American nations are out of the World Cup to make for a Final Four that is perhaps the most improbable mix in tournament history. South America will be absent from the semifinals for just the fifth time in the tournament’s history. Of the 92 players in the semifinals, 81 are with clubs in Europe.
MOSCOW— English fish and chips against Croatia’s famous fish risotto. France’s vin et fromage versus Belgian beer and waffles.
Welcome to the Final Four of the World Cup, perhaps the most improbable mix of teams in the history of the tournament.
Host Russia left in tears Saturday night, jilted like a suitor at the end of a Pushkin poem when they drew level with Croatia late in extra time only to lose the last quarterfinal on penalty kicks.
Germany’s Teutonic efficiency departed earlier, along with Brazil’s yellow-shirted samba style and Spain’s “tikitaka” pass-a-thon.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal couldn’t get past the round of 16.
Italy’s Azzurri and the Netherlands’ Oranje didn’t even earn an invite.
“Whoever was the favorites to win, the big teams are home,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said after his team’s second consecutive penalty shootout victory.
“Those who are hardworking, who are compact, who are united and who are well-organized, they are here in Russia, and this is the character of the four teams remaining in the tournament.”
First up: France’s Les Bleus versus Belgium’s De Rode Duivels in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday night, a match-up of west- ern European neighbors.
Then England’s The Three Lions versus Croatia’s Vatreni in Moscow on Wednesday night.
Is football coming home or is the title going somewhere new?
“We’re in a World Cup semifinal. Whether we’re in the top four in the world is something we would still have to prove,” England manager Gareth Southgate said.
“It will be a sign to all clubs that, whether it’s in England or abroad, that English players can play.”
By the long-maligned Fifa rankings, this semifinals is unlikely.
Belgium is ranked third in the world, France seventh, England 12th and Croatia 20th.
South America will be absent from the semifinals for the fifth time in the tournament’s history.
Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay and Peru all contributed to making this event one of the most dramatic in history. Since winning their only title at Wembley in 1966, England reached the World Cup semifinals just once, in 1990.
France lost in the semifinals in 1958 and 1982, won their only World Cup at home in 1998, then lost the 2006 final.
Croatia fell to France in the 1998 semifinals in their first appearance as an independent nation.
Belgium’s only other semifinal appearance was in 1986.
No matter which team wins, the final four is a triumph of the Big Five—Europe’s top professional leagues.
Eighty-one of the 92 players in the semifinal squads are with clubs in England (40), Spain (12), France (12), Germany (nine) and Italy (eight).
Dalic hopes in a year of the outsider, the least heralded team prevails.
“We don’t want to stop. We will try to play our best game,”
he said. “I trust us.”