Kevin: French won’t spoil our story’s happy ending

Kevin De Bruyne is determined France won’t end Belgium’s “once- in- a- lifetime” World Cup early.

The Manchester City star scored a stunning goal as the Red Devils beat tournament favourites Brazil 2-1 on Friday to reach the semi-finals.

A Tuesday date with France now stands between them and a first ever final, the current squad having matched the exploits of the class of 1986.

This particular group of Belgian players have long been talked up and De Bruyne has his heart set on making the most of this opportunity.

He said: “We have achieved something that is really beautiful and not easy.

“We are proud to reach the semi-finals and will do our utmost to win that match.

“We are in the top four and are happy but once you’re that close you want to do everything you can.

“Only a few times in your lifetime can you come to a World Cup. We will do all we can and hopefully we can give you some nice images of Belgium.

“We are going to give everything we can to beat France.”

For all their critics, France have moved into the last four with a minimum of fuss, ruthlessly disposing of Uruguay on Friday.

De Bruyne knows how dangerous they are and is taking little for granted. He added: “They are an extraordinary team but when you reach the semi-finals of a World Cup you’re never going to find ordinary opposition.

“Thirty- two teams started out, they al l know how to play football.

“We are on an equal footing with France, we wi l l t r y a nd do ever y thing we can physically and mentally.

“That’s all we can do. At the end, you do all you can to win and if they’re better, they’re better. That’s football.”

Belgium’s progress represents more success for b o s s Rob er to Martinez, who left Everton two years ago to mixed reviews.

The Spaniard is getting the best out of this ultra-talented Belgian squad and he admitted to finding the one thing he had been missing from club football – a human touch.

Martinez said: “In the last five minutes on Friday I felt we could lose a lot and thehe players did not deserve it.

“Brazil need 30 seconds to score a goal and then 20 for another! The players had a look in their eye that they believed in each other.

“We showed experience , calmness and a real togetherness.

“The only thing I miss about club football is that you don’t always get the human beings behind the footballers.

“Today, it was the human beings. They care about being ambassadors of Belgian football.ootball.

“That makes everything worth it, I hope everyone in