Playing 'favourites' Brazil a dream for Belgium: Martinez

Didier Deschamps proclaimed France’s second World Cup triumph was “just as beautiful” as their first after leading them to glory again 20 years on, but Croatia defender Dejan Lovren said that Deschamps' team "did not play football."

"I'm disappointed because we lost the game, we played much, much better football than them, but on the other hand I'm proud of this team and what we have achieved," Lovren said.

"We played beautiful football again. France were one of the favourites to win the World Cup and they did it. I think we were better. They did it another way. They didn't play football, they waited for their chances and they scored. They had their own tactic and you need to respect that. They played the tournament like that, every game, but when you look at all the countries behind us, we're second.” he added.

"There's nothing to talk about now. It's difficult to describe. Maybe after a week or two, a couple of months... right now, it's difficult. Some moments I feel sad, some moments I'm happy. Overall, I'm proud."

Ivan Perisic conceded the first-half penalty after referee Nestor Pitana penalised him for handball following a VAR review.

"I was sure he would not give the pen," said the Liverpool centre-back. "From my point of view, he [Perisic] could not react.

"It was a critical moment, we came back at 1-1, and then this penalty and then 3-1, 4-1, but even then we didn't stop playing football, we still believed, we gave everything, and this is why people are proud now in Croatia."

Didier Deschamps' side had claimed a 1-0 over Belgium in the semifinals with a defensive masterclass which left Belgium star Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois deeply unimpressed with what he felt were overly cagey tactics by France in the semi-final, and now Lovren also felt the frustration of coming up against Deschamps's style. Not always the most entertaining, however, in the end, French squad just had too much talent at its disposal to get the job done.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will have to come up with his best against France in the quarterfinal of the ongoing Euro 2024 to ensure his side go through to the semis. The 39-year-old, who is yet to find the net for Portugal in this edition, has taken the most number of shots by any player and has already missed a penalty in a Round of 16 fixture against Slovenia. Against a formidable France, Ronaldo will have to step up, like he did in Portugal's triumphant campaign in 2016, for a spot in the last four. 
 

Meanwhile, hosts Germany will square off against Spain in a high-voltage fixture. England will face a high-flying Switzerland and the Netherlands will take on dark horse Turkey to cap off the quarterfinals of the Euros. 

The Daily Star's podcast Pitch Perfect brings you an in-depth look into the quarterfinal matchups of the European Championships in its latest episode.

Highlights (Portugal vs France)

*Portugal are the side with the most possession (69.9%) at this Euro, with Germany (66%), England (60%), Spain (59.5%), and France (59%) coming next in this aspect.

*France are yet to find a goal from open play -- they had seen two own goals and one penalty from Kylian Mbappe -- but Les Blues have had the most touches (151) in the opposition's box, followed by Portugal who have had 136 touches in the opposition's box.

*Portugal's captain Cristiano Ronaldo has mustered 20 shots at Euro 2024, the most of any player, but he's yet to find the back of the net.

*Portugal haven't scored in their last two matches -- against Georgia and Slovenia. Portugal have never failed to net in three consecutive games at a single major tournament before.

*France have kept a clean sheet in three of their four games, the most of any side at the tournament.

Highlights (Spain vs Germany)

*This will be the fourth meeting between Germany and Spain at the Euros. Spain hold the edge having won in 1984 and the 2008 final, while Germany clinched the contest in the 1988 edition.

*Spain are unbeaten in their last four major tournament matches against Germany (W2 D2).

*Germany went through to the semifinals in 15 of their 19 quarterfinals at major tournaments (World Cup and Euro), including wins in all four last eight appearances at the Euros (1996, 2008, 2012, 2016).

*No host nation has ever been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Euros.

*Goals are expected as it will be a meeting between the edition's top-scoring teams. Spain have scored nine goals, while Germany have 10, which is already their joint-most in a single edition of the competition.

*Toni Kroos has completed 95% of his passes at the tournament (411/431), the highest completion rate by a player to attempt 300+ passes at a European Championship (since 1980). He also leads all players in this edition for line-breaking passes (125).

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to miss Portugal's friendly clash against Sweden as Roberto Martinez made changes to his squad. Martinez had included the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in his preliminary 32-man squad but has now left him out of his team's next game against Sweden.

He joins Diogo Dalot, Joao Cancelo, Danilo Pereira, Otavio, Ruben Neves, Vitinha and Joao Felix, on the list of players who have been rested for the friendly.

As per ESPN, the reason for the Al-Nassr striker being dropped is purely to give the 39-year-old, who is on a small vacation with his family in Saudi Arabia, some rest with the Saudi Pro League having taken a pause for the international break. The former Real Madrid superstar played the whole 90 minutes for Al-Nassr on Saturday evening and has therefore been given some important time off before another immensely busy summer.

The Portugal top scorer will return to Martinez's squad after the Sweden match and is likely to get some game time during their second and final friendly before we return to the last leg of club action. Ronaldo is once again likely to be an integral part of the Portugal squad in the summer with the nation being one of the favourites to win the Euros.

The Al-Nassr forward will be back in action for Portugal when they take on Slovenia on March 26. He will then return to action in the Saudi Pro League when Al-Nassr take on Al-Tai on March 30 as they look to keep up with runaway league leaders, Al-Hilal.

Kevin De Bruyne's mercurial talent is indisputable and Romelu Lukaku will be a powerful force up front, so the big question for Belgium heading to the World Cup in Qatar is whether they can get the best out of playmaker Eden Hazard.

The Real Madrid midfielder has barely played in the Spanish capital this season but Belgium coach Roberto Martinez has kept faith and started him in both Nations League games in September.

Injuries and a loss of form have pushed Hazard down the pecking order at his club, and that in turn has raised questions about the 31-year-old's place in the national side and whether he will be in peak condition in Qatar.

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez. Photo: Reuters

"The lack of minutes and game time is there but he is in a good mindset and is looking forward to being on the pitch," Martinez told reporters. "I see an energy and a happiness around Eden, which I did not see six months ago."

Hazard played for more than an hour against Wales and Netherlands in September and, while there was some rustiness, there were also flashes of the player who was such a key man for Chelsea in the Premier League before his 2019 switch to Madrid.

He remains an important figure in the Belgium dressing room, having featured in all but one of their 12 games at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.

He captained the side to their best-ever finish four years ago, their third place helping him to win the Silver Ball as the second-best player at the tournament. That is the footballer Martinez is desperate to resurrect.

Experience and guile are perhaps now his biggest attributes and his coach will know that when it gets to the latter rounds in Qatar, he needs players with cool heads and leadership on the pitch.

Photo: Reuters

Despite the emergence of De Bruyne as potentially the best midfielder in the world, Hazard is still viewed as the leader of the country's Golden Generation under Martinez, having made his international debut aged 17 in 2008.

"I know what I can do. Now I want to get in shape for the World Cup. I'm happiest when I play," Hazard told RTL. "When I play, I give it my all. I've always said the old Eden Hazard will come back when he plays. I just need to get back into the rhythm."

Hazard may be a risk given his situation in Madrid but, with Martinez able to select 26 players in his squad for Qatar, it is surely one worth taking.

BELGIUM HAVE ALL THE TOOLS TO CRAFT A WORLD CUP TROPHY WIN

Photo: Reuters

For many of Belgium's Golden Generation, the World Cup in Qatar represents a last shot at football immortality and victory would be a crowning glory for a side that have no trophies to show for their outstanding talent and huge promise.

Many of their leading players are over the age of 30 and only a few will be around for the next World Cup in 2026, so it is now or never for most to turn their bronze medal from four years ago into the coveted gold.

They have a settled squad and a strong technical team under Spanish coach Roberto Martinez, whose contract comes to an end after the World Cup.

He counts among his assistants 1998 World Cup winner Thierry Henry.

Belgium have gone into past tournaments full of promise and been left wondering what might have been, while their form over the last year has been patchy and below par.

A third-place finish in Russia after semi-final defeat to France was their best showing yet at a World Cup, but they clearly wanted more.

A quarter-final loss to Italy at Euro 2020 was also a bitter disappointment in a competition where they were among the favourites.

They can at least say that, on both those occasions, they went out to the eventual champions.

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Full fixtures of FIFA World Cup 2022

Belgium face Croatia, Morocco and Canada in Group F in Qatar, a pool they should be able to negotiate comfortably, even if publicly the ever-amicable Martinez is wary.

"Croatia are always a competitive team at international level, and Morocco? They're a team we know very well because there are many (Moroccan) players who play in Belgium and have dual nationality," Martinez told TSN.

"Canada, for us, is always a hidden threat. We followed their qualification in CONCACAF and it's been impressive to see this team, with their consistency, with their energy and youth and team spirit that they have –- and getting results against USA and Mexico. It's going to be a really, really competitive group."

Belgium have an abundance of quality in attack, with creativity, speed and guile, but defensively they have struggled and that problem was starkly laid bare when they were thumped 4-1 at home by Netherlands in June.

Before their 1-0 loss to the same Dutch side in their last international in September, they had scored in an astonishing 49 consecutive games since the defeat by the same scoreline to France at the 2018 World Cup.

Conversely, since October 2021 they have kept only two clean sheets in 12 games -- against Poland and minnows Burkina Faso.

Photo: Reuters

But Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is among the best in the world, while the defensive pairing of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen have an astonishing 264 caps between them.

Martinez can marry the vast experience of midfielders Axel Witsel, Eden Hazard and the mercurial Kevin De Bruyne with the energy of Leandro Trossard, Youri Tielemans and maybe wildcard Amadou Onana.

Photo: Reuters

Up front there are powerful options in Romelu Lukaku, if he can overcome his recent injury problems, Michy Batshuayi and new man Lois Openda.

Photo: Reuters

All the tools are there, but can Martinez craft something meaningful with them?

BELGIUM AT THE WORLD CUP

Following is a statbox on Belgium at the World Cup.

FIFA Ranking: 2

Odds: 12-1

Previous tournaments:

Belgium have qualified for eight of the last 10 World Cup tournaments, missing out in 2006 and 2010, and were one of four European nations at the very first in Uruguay in 1930. Their best finish is a bronze medal in 2018 when they beat England to third, while their only other semi-final appearance was in Mexico in 1986 when they lost to Diego Maradona's Argentina and finished fourth. They have been to 13 World Cups in all.

How they qualified:

They went unbeaten in their eight qualifiers, winning six of them, and had little trouble topping a group that also contained Wales, Czech Republic, Estonia and Belarus. They scored 25 goals, more than three per game, and conceded six with a haul of 20 points that was five more than the second-placed Welsh. They dropped points only in Cardiff and Prague.

Form guide:

Home and away losses to Netherlands, including a 4-1 defeat in Brussels, made for a disappointing recent Nations League campaign, but Belgium have proved they have goals in them. Their 1-0 defeat in Amsterdam was the first time in 50 matches they had failed to score, dating back to a loss by the same margin to France at the 2018 World Cup. Keeping clean sheets has been a issue against more fancied teams and that could be an Achilles heel later in the tournament in Qatar. Since the start of October 2021, Belgium have won five of their 12 internationals, losing four and with three draws. The highlight was a 6-1 home win over Poland in June.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic is prepared to make changes for Sunday's World Cup final against France if some of his players have not recovered from their exertions in reaching football's biggest game.

Dalic's men have been forced to go through three periods of extra-time against Denmark, Russia and England to become the smallest country in 68 years to make the final.

"Tomorrow is the World Cup final. Simply, the players know what that is," Dalic said on Saturday.

"One thing that brings me happiness is that all my players tell me if they are not 100 percent fit. They will concede and say they are not fit. They know what is at stake, but if they are unable to give their all they will tell us. They have such an attitude."

Ivan Perisic, who scored and set up Mario Mandzukic's winner in a 2-1 semi-final win over England, was among five Croatian players to miss training on Friday.

"We have nothing to train. We need relaxation and rest to gain freshness for tomorrow. We have some minor injuries, minor problems, and I hope my players will be ready. If not, I have great players on the bench who will be raring to go."