It’s day 26 at the 2018 World Cup and while there’s no matches scheduled, all eyes are on two mouth-watering semi-finals.
Just one match separates England from a first World Cup final since 1966, and with the nation starting to believe their own claims that ‘Football’s Coming Home’, a victory over Croatia on Wednesday could be the penultimate step in making that happen. We’ll have the latest from Gareth Southgate and his players later on today.
There’s also the small matter of a local derby to preview as France and Belgium meet in the first semi-final on Tuesday in a game that has a very large Premier League presence. We’ll be looking ahead to that showdown in St Petersburg, as well as what the two camps have to say in their final press conferences.
Follow all the latest news from Russia below...
Live Updates
12:34
One of the goal-scorers in Croatia's victory over Russia might consider himself slightly fortunate to be eligible to face England in the semi-final.
Domagoj Vida was filmed saying 'glory to Ukraine' in the wake of their victory which caused upset and potentially damaged his chances of playing courtesy of Fifa's rulings.
However, Fifa, the face of all moral clarity and ethical understanding, have deemed the incident worthy of just a warning.
More here:
12:28
But there is reason to envisage that the semi-final against Croatia actually provides England with the best platform to win a World Cup game, and win it well, too.
Unlike Sweden, there's no expectancy that Croatia will play a conservative game, aiming to restrict England.
They themselves have far too much quality to panic about what the Three Lions' might offer going forward.
Nevertheless, Michael Cox has written an article suggesting that this game could in fact be perfectly suited for England.
Yep, a World Cup Semi-final 'PERFECTLY SUITED FOR ENGLAND.'
You're reading this correctly, I promise:
12:13
England know they have the opportunity of a lifetime in the palm of their hands right now.
They sit, preparing to face Croatia, a side with even less World Cup heritage than themselves, to qualify for the World Cup final.
It won't be easy. Not by any stretch. But, by all accounts, it's the clearest path that the Three Lions' have had in many a year.
And these opportunities don't come around too often.
Jack Pitt-Brooke has written more about what a piece of history these young lions are hoping to achieve:
If there has been one central message from Gareth Southgate and the players over this thrilling month it is that the past is a burden, and that obsessing about it can do more harm than good.
11:55
Plan to wear your red England strip when supporting the team on Wednesday night?
Think again.
Unlike the quarter final tie against Sweden, the Three Lions' will be playing in their home white kit against Croatia for the semi-final.
11:39
Anyway, let's move on from the fans and look at another of the players who have shone at this World Cup: Kieran Trippier.
The Spurs' right-back sure knows how to bury a cross (pun intended, sorry) and he's proving an absolute thorn down England's right hand side.
He was on the Lions' Den yesterday. Catch up following this link for what he had to say:
11:33
And yet, amidst all the positivity, the clamour and genuine plausibility that England might, just might reach the World Cup final, there always finds room for a negative.
As reported yesterday, there was a lot of commotion across the country following the Three Lions' 2-0 victory over Sweden in the quarter-final where England's performance and composure impressed the opponent's manager so much,he staked his support and expectation that Southgate's men may well go on and win the whole tournament.
But in some quarters, not most, the celebrations went too far and pictures and videos surfaced of fans causing chaos in a local Ikea store as well as leaving an emergency services ambulance out of use.
Well, the pictures doing the rounds have provided one identity with a girl now knows to officials from the pictures atop the vehicle.
11:26
And while I'm sure you've all been enjoying the euphoria in England as the hopes and dreams of football fans have been allowed to flourish for the first time in 28 years, it is not just on these shores where expectation is ramping up.
Across the globe, England are being written about and considering their position as only one of eight nations to ever win a World Cup, they demand respect.
For the first time in a long time, they've earned it.
Here's what other nations have been writing about the Three Lions' journey thus far:
11:17
There have been countless stories about some of these England players and their rise to the precipice of World Cup stardom.
We've all seen the list of teams they've plied their trade at to get this far, the loan moves, the tough battles they've fought to reach the first team in the Premier League.
We could write an in depth article about each player's rise and struggles but let's start at the back shall we, where Jordan Pickford, all 6' 1" of him has become England's no.1 and a hero back home.
Jack Pitt-Brooke, take it away!
11:09
Okay, let's take a closer look at how England are shaping up ahead of their World Cup semi-final on Wednesday evening, their first since Italia 90 where they were defeated by Germany on penalties.
We'll start with a little nugget of positivity as left-wing back Ashley Young is celebrating his 33rd birthday today.
He's the oldest member of the squad but it hasn't shown in performances so far.
10:56
As for now...
10:49
Meanwhile, yesterday we reported here at the Independent that Fernando Hierro had left his post with Spain.
We now understand that Luis Enrique is expected to take over.
More on the story, here:
10:33
And ahead of Tuesday night's clash, our chief football writer Miguel Delaney has been writing a preview based on the managers.
Didier Deschamps, as mentioned before is not particularly well liked in France. He is known to stifle some of the greatest attacking talent in the world in order to retain a solid compact side.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the coin things aren't much brighter for a more progressive, attack-minded coach in Roberto Martinez.
His Belgium side, too, possess some of the best talent in world football and yet his are allowed to flourish more...at least in an attacking capacity.
As we saw from their last 16 victory against Japan, there's still a defensive vulnerability there which is why he too, is not an all round popular choice of manager.
By Tuesday's end though, one man will have guided his side to a World Cup Final:
10:13
So what of the France team this year then? Do they have a winning formula?
Well, in Kylian Mbappe, they have one of the brightest young stars in world football who's stock rose even higher during their last 16 victory over Argentina.
Meanwhile, at the back they've been steady if unspectacular. They stupidly conceded a penalty in their opening group game with Australia but looked otherwise untroubled, kept clean sheets in the rest of their group games and the quarter final with Uruguay so the only team to breach them from open play was Argentina who managed three in their 4-3 defeat.
Les Bleus have been making progress, even if Deschamps is not well received back home. They made it to the European Championships final just two years ago where they were defeated by Portugal after extra time.
And another key man, who is integral to the squad but with a certain subtlety is Chelsea's Olivier Giroud.
Here, Miguel Delaney has been explaining more about his roles despite the lack of goals:
10:00
Tomorrow evening, in St Petersburg, the first World Cup Semi final will get underway and it will showcase some of Europe's finest players.
France are taking on Belgium in what is sure to be a blockbuster match where the winner will land the ultimate prize: a place in the World Cup final.
Belgium have never reached the final, with their best finish being 4th in 1986 when they lost the 3rd place play off game....to...you guessed it - FRANCE. (It finished 4-2 after extra time.)
France haven't made it this far in a World Cup since they reached the final in 2006, only to lose out to Italy on penalties.
In fact, it is 12 years to the day since that final and sadly it will all be remembered for Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
09:36
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's World Cup live blog, where we'll bring you all the latest news from Russia and look ahead to this week's semi-finals where England bid to reach a first World Cup final in 52 years.
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