#icons lucas hernandez france

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lucas hernandez icons

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How much did Emily in Paris cost?

How Much Did Emily in Paris Cost? As a fan of the hit Netflix show Emily in Paris, I'm sure you've been wondering how much it cost to make the show. After all, it's one of the most popular shows on the streaming service, and it's easy to see why. From the stunning Parisian locations to the beautiful costumes, Emily in Paris is a feast for the eyes. But how much did it cost to make this show? Well, the answer isn't as straightforward as you might think. The cost of producing a show like Emily in Paris is dependent on a variety of factors, including the budget, the cast and crew, and the locations. The Budget The budget for Emily in Paris was estimated to be around $60 million. This is a significant amount of money, but it's not unheard of for a show of this caliber. In fact, it's on the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to the cost of producing a show. The Cast and Crew The cast and crew of Emily in Paris are some of the best in the business. The show stars Lily Collins as Emily, and she is joined by an impressive ensemble cast that includes Ashley Park, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo, and Samuel Arnold. The crew behind the show is equally impressive. The show was created by Darren Star, who is best known for creating the hit show Sex and the City. The show is also executive produced by Tony Hernandez, who has worked on shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Transparent. The Locations The locations for Emily in Paris are some of the most beautiful in the world. The show was filmed in Paris, France, and the crew took advantage of the city's stunning architecture and iconic landmarks. The show also filmed in other locations around the world, including London, England and Prague, Czech Republic. These locations added to the show's production costs, but they also added to the show's visual appeal. The Final Cost When all is said and done, the cost of producing Emily in Paris is estimated to be around $80 million. This is a significant amount of money, but it's not unheard of for a show of this caliber. FAQs How much did Emily in Paris cost to make? The cost of producing Emily in Paris is estimated to be around $80 million. Who created Emily in Paris? Emily in Paris was created by Darren Star, who is best known for creating the hit show Sex and the City. Darren Star is a highly acclaimed American television producer, writer, and director. He has been in the entertainment industry for over three decades and is best known for creating some of the most popular TV shows of all time. One of his biggest successes was the hit show Sex and the City, which ran from 1998 to 2004. The show, which starred Sarah Jessica Parker, became a cultural phenomenon and was praised for its portrayal of female friendships and sexuality.In addition to Sex and the City, Darren Star has created several other successful TV shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and Younger. He has won numerous awards for his work, including four Golden Globe nominations and two Primetime Emmy nominations.Emily in Paris is one of Darren Star's latest creations, which was released on Netflix in 2020. The show follows the story of Emily Cooper, a young American woman who moves to Paris to work in a marketing firm. The show has received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its lighthearted and entertaining storyline, while others have criticized its unrealistic portrayal of Parisian life.Despite the mixed reviews, Emily in Paris has become a popular show among viewers and has been renewed for a second season. Darren Star's ability to create engaging and relatable content has made him one of the most sought-after TV producers in the industry, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of writers and creators. Where was Emily in Paris filmed? Emily in Paris was filmed in Paris, France, and other locations around the world, including London, England and Prague, Czech Republic. Read the full article

[xalala]

France

icons.

[ipswichtowns]

Euro 2020 icons: France

[donnyvandbeek]

15.07.2018

[atletiiii]

my personal preference

[weaknesszpacks]

icons lucas hernandez

@sameoldlipa or like

[ramdonicons]

[amelmajrii]

Theo HERNANDEZ of France celebrates with his brother Lucas HERNANDEZ of France during the UEFA Nations League Semi-Final match between Belgium and France at Allianz Stadium on October 7, 2021 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Anthony Dibon/Icon Sport via Getty Images)

[bongaboi]

Bayern Munich: 2020 FIFA Club World Cup Champions

Bayern Munich’s love affair with French players dates back to the mid-90s with the arrival of Jean-Pierre Papin. Nascent Franco-Bavarian ties were further strengthened during the 2000s, when Bixente Lizarazu, Willy Sagnol and Franck Ribery all followed in his footsteps.

Today, the relationship is at its zenith with no fewer than six Frenchmen plying their trade for the European champions.

On 11 February, the club’s Gallic flair was again in evidence in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020™. The UEFA Champions League winners saw off the challenge of Mexico’s Tigres UNAL with a goal from Benjamin Pavard, just one of five Franzosens on the Bavarians' team sheet. Bayern appear to be in seventh heaven with their Bleus, as these stats can attest.

Not content with picking winner’s medals at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, Frenchmen Corentin Tolisso, Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard can now add the title of club world champions to their resumes. That means the trio are current holders of seven titles, having also tasted success in the 2020 editions of the UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, DFB Cup, UEFA Super Cup and DFL Supercup.

The record number of Frenchmen who have lined up for Bayern in this season’s Bundesliga. And while Michael Cuisance, who took part in their opening game against Schalke, subsequently moved to Marseille, that still leaves in order of arrival at the club: Kingsley Coman(2015),Corentin Tolisso (2017),Benjamin Pavard (2019), Lucas Hernandez (2019), Tanguy Kouassi (2020) and Bouna Sarr (2020).

In scoring the only goal of the Qatar 2020 final, Benjamin Pavard became the seventh French player to register a goal in this competition, after Nicolas Anelka, Jonathan Biabiany, Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema, Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre-Pierre Gignac.

7: Franck Ribery's shirt number at Bayern. He spent 12 years there and won nine league titles, setting a new record for a foreign player. A veritable club icon after racking up 119 goals and 185 assists in 425 games, the Boulogne native was even given a nickname steeped in Bayern history: Kaiser Franck – a reference to the legendary Bayern and West Germany defender Franz Beckenbauer.

7: The number of goals scored for the club by Bixente Lizarazu, another Bayern legend. The left-back enjoyed his best years in Bavaria, where he won absolutely everything. He stayed there for eight seasons in all, as did compatriot Willy Sagnol, another wingback and Bayern favourite. Such was the precision of Sagnol’s deliveries from out wide that he earned the nickname Flankengott, meaning ‘god of the crosses’.

7: The number of matches played in his maiden season by the first Frenchman to join the Bavarian club: Jean-Pierre Papin. A modest total unquestionably, but the striker had more than his share of injuries during this time. That said, JPP will always be the one who paved the way for his compatriots – 13 others to date – to don the famous red jersey.

7: The number of years that Valerien Ismael had to wait to become a naturalised German. Ignored by the France national team, he made the request in 2006 in the hope of participating in that year’s World Cup for Die Mannschaft. It was not to be, however. The former Bayern defender, who scored two goals in 46 appearances between 2005 and 2007, finally obtained German citizenship in 2013.

[boysinblades]

Translation

Javier Fernandez, Don Quijote on ice / Technical reinforcements / Autumn Classic / Schedule for the season / Fixed spot for the Olympics

Javier Fernandez’ agenda is always smoking (very full). Even in August, the five-time European figure skating champion barely has any free time. He’s been in Spain for a few week now, where he’s been giving out summer classes to the new generations in this sport, first in Granada, and then in Madrid, while he prepares his new programs and even poses for his figure at the Wax Museum. After finishing a class in “La Nevera” (Majadahonda), he received MARCA to give us a few key points of what promises to be the most important season of his career. The one in which he dreams to win that Olympic Medal that got away in Sochi in 2014.

In a discipline such a figure skating, the strategy starts with the choreographies for the programs that, generally, change every year and are like the best kept secret. “Javi” had already announced that, for the short program, he would bring back a character previously used, and for the free, he would portray an icon of our (Spanish) culture. He will portray Chaplin again, something he did in 2013, and he will get under the skin of “The Man of La Mancha”, the musical based on “I, Don Quijote” by Dale Wasserman, choreographed by Canadian David Wilson, who has traveled to with Fernandez to Spain.

“With Chaplin I won the first European gold and World medal, that’s why it will always be considered one of my best programs. Bringing it back is a nice way to start giving a closure to my career, but we will present it in a different way. It will no longer be the ‘Limelight’ Charlie Chaplin, but the one from ‘Modern Times’, the one that fight against labor exploitation and the dehumanization that industry represents. It will be a conceptual choreography based off on gestures” he said. Parts of this program have already been revealed in his most recent tour throughout Japan.

“For the free, we wanted to use an icon of the Spanish culture, and what’s best than “El Quijote”, but not form the novel, but from the musical, where Cervantes merges with his character. I will fight for that missing medal emulating the hero and author by excellence in our literature. A choreography that is still taking shape but looks promising” he comments.

Possible Technical reinforcements

Conscious that, last season the level of jumps (technical difficulty), has gone up and therefore the medals have been scarce, Fernandez is already thinking about some possible technical reinforcements should he make use of them to fight his rivals. “The content of the Short Program will remain as it is, but for the free, we’ve been considering introducing a new jump, the quadruple Loop (an element that he’s executed outside of competition), that way I would have 3 different quads (Toeloop, Salchow and Loop), and i could present aside form other jumps, two combinations, one of them consisting of 3 triples. Those are ideas we’ve been considering and that we will start working on. Depending on how they work and the level of the competition we will decide if we include them or not. The key to the medal will not lie so much on the risk, but on not making mistakes and that’s why perfection must be my goal”.

He will debut at Autumn Classic

Unlike the past few years, when he traditionally made his debut at Japan Open in early October, this season he will do it earlier, in the Autumn Classic at the end of September, where he will face his main rival Yuzuru Hanyu in the season debut for both. The Japanese skater will use Chopin’s Ballade no. 1 for the short and he will bring back the free for the 2015-16 season known as ‘SEIMEI’. Afterwards Fernandez will go to Japan Open and his tow Grand Prix events (Beijing and Grenoble) where he will try to get enough points to get to the Final which will take place in Nagoya in December, a few days before the Spanish National Championships in Jaca. In 2018 there will be 3 big events: Europeans in January, Olympics in February and Worlds in March.

This will be the competition schedule for Javier Fernandez

Autumn Classic (September 22-23, Pierrefonds - Canada)

Japan Open (October 7, Saitama - Japan)

Grand Prix Cup of china (November 3-5, Beijing - China)

Grand Prix Internacionaux de France (November 17-19, Grenoble - France)

Grand Prix Final (December 7-10, Nagoya - Japan). His assistance will depend on the results in Beijing and Grenoble, for only the six skaters with the most points qualify.

Spanish National Championships (Mid-December in Jaca)

European Championships (January 15-21, Moscow - Russia)

Olympic Games (February 9-25, Pyeongchang - South Korea)

World Championships (March 19-25, Milan - Italy)

The only fixed spot in the Olympic Team

Javier Fernandez is the only skater that de FEDH consideres fixed for Pyeongchang 2018. These will be the Madrid-native’s 3rd Olympic Games who finished 14th in Vancouver 2010 and 4th in Sochi 2014, where he was the flag bearer for the Spanish Team. Alongside snowboarders Lucas Eguibar, Regino Hernandez and Queralt Castellet, they are the main hope for a Gold Medal for the National team in Korean soil.

The rest of the Olympic spots that the Spanish figure skating team (a second spot for the men, and one in ice dance) will eb given to whoever gets the highest score in two competitions : Golden Spin (December 6-9 in Zagreb - Croatia) and the Spanish Championships. For the second spot in the men’s discipline two names come up: Javier Raya and Felipe Montoya. While 3 teams will fight for the spot in ice dance: Olivia Smart & Adriá Díaz, Sara Hurtado & Kirill Khaliavin and Celia Robledo & Luis Fenero.

Our country could get two more spot in the Pre-Olympic event that will take place in Obertsdorf (Germany) at the end of September to which Sonia Lafuente will assist in search of a spot for the ladies, and the rookies Laura Barquero & Aritz Maestu, that will do the same for pairs. Lafuente will be the alternate to Valentina Matos who is recovering from an injury. If these spots are obtained they will not be given straight to those who get it as it had been done until now. They will be given to those who get the highest scores at Golden Spin and Nationals. The ladies (candidates) are Sonia Lafuente and Valentina Matos, while in pairs, Laura Baquero & Aritz Maestu and Dorota Broda & Pedro Betegón. The qualification depends on Lafuente finishing among the top 6 in the Pre-Olympic test, while Barquero & Maestu will have to break the top 4. Both are ambitious goals. 

[junker-town]

The 22 likely starters in the World Cup final, ranked

Our projected lineups for France and Croatia, and how important they are to their teams.

The World Cup final is on Sunday between France and Croatia, and barring any surprises, we’re pretty sure who the 22 players starting in the match will be. So let’s rank them, eh?

This is a totally silly exercise, but whatever, we’ve got two days to the final and this banter isn’t going to bant itself, now is it?

To the ranking!

22. Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud is a wonderful striker who I have defended for years. He didn’t finish that pass from Mbappé in the semifinal, however, so I will never, ever forgive him. And I’m ranking him last here purely out of spite.

21. Marcelo Brozović

Brozović is just 25, the young gun in Croatia’s central midfield, but his versatility has made him someone they had to get in the lineup. He runs around and frees up space for Rakitic and Modric, and that’s good!

20. Dejan Lovren

Dejan Lovren told media after the semifinal that he’s one of the best defenders in the world. If “best” means “doing everything short of killing an attacker while somehow not getting sent off,” he is absolutely correct.

19. Blaise Matuidi

Matuidi is a fine defensive midfielder who is being asked to play out of position on the left wing, and to his credit he’s doing a fine enough job of it. Again, everyone in the World Cup final is extremely good. This is hard to do.

18. Ante Rebic

I actually love Rebic, and it’s an underrated thing to have someone on your side who’s just going to run around a shitload and cause trouble. Paulinho’s made an entire career out of it. Rebic is great at that.

17. Samuel Umtiti

Umtiti has scored a huge goal for France this tournament, and his calming presence at the back has been vital. He’s overshadowed by his other central defender partner, Rafael Varane, at times, but that shouldn’t undercut how good he’s been.

16. Domagoj Vida

The blonde ponytail. The first name out of Stranger Things. Vida is as iconic visually as any player we’ve seen in this tournament, but his excellent play in the back has been what’s kept Croatia in a lot of games.

Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images

15. Ivan Strinic

Strinic has been fantastic at left back for this Croatia side, playing above and beyond what I thought he was capable of for much of the tournament. I’m not sure how his legs haven’t fallen off with all the running he’s had to do, but that’s true of everyone on this Croatia side.

14. Lucas Hernandez

Hernandez has been fantastic for France, and while he doesn’t have an iconic moment like Benjamin Pavard had with that wonderstrike of a goal, he’s been arguably just as important.

13. Benjamin Pavard

Looking at this France lineup coming into the World Cup, Benjamin Pavard stuck out. Like, all these names, and what the hell was he doing there? He’s only gone and become arguably the best right back in the tournament.

12. Sime Vrsaljko

Remember when I said Pavard went and was maybe the right back of the tournament? Uh, he might not even be the best right back in this game. It doesn’t make sense, I realize, but again, at this point, everyone has been brilliant. Vrsaljko plays for Atletico Madrid, so it should be no surprise he’s excellent in defense, but I didn’t think he was this good.

11. Ivan Perisic

I didn’t think Perisic was having all that great of a tournament compared to what I know he can do, to be honest, but then he went and got Croatia’s first goal in the semifinal against England and played one of the games of his life. He’s special.

10. Danijel Subasic

I don’t know how Subasic is playing at this point. I thought he pulled his hamstring against Russia. Then he went and won the penalty shootout, and was brilliant against England, and I will never doubt him again.

9. Rafael Varane

Varane is a special, special defender, and has been the rock at the back for France en route to this final. It’s telling that someone clearly in my Best XI for the tournament can only get in as the ninth best player in this game, but I’m telling you, these are two extremely good soccer teams.

8. Hugo Lloris

Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

My pick for goalkeeper of the tournament, Lloris has somehow managed to get better as the tournament has gone on and the competition has gotten fiercer. It’s easy to say when you have that defense and midfield in front of you that you don’t have to do much, but Lloris has had to do plenty, and answered the call every time.

7. Ivan Rakitic

He’s often overshadowed by the brilliance of his midfield partner Luka Modric, but that shouldn’t undercut just how good Rakitic has been. It’s hard to play simply. Rakitic has done just that, playing multiple roles depending on what’s been needed and doing all of it brilliantly.

6. Antoine Griezmann

Griezmann has had to push a little farther back this tournament to fit into Didier Deschamps’ plans, but he’s done so admirably, filling in as a support striker and dropping back into midfield to help his team in possession.

5. Mario Mandzukic

My vote for most underrated player of the last decade, Mario Mandzukic is the do-everything striker that dreams are made out of. Plus, no player alive takes better photos.

AFP photographer Yuri Cortez gets close to the celebrations involving Croatia forward Mario Mandzukic. Photograph: Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/55NbjKNXQ9

— Jᴜᴀɴɢᴀ Cᴇʀᴠᴀɴᴛᴇs (@cervantescrc) July 12, 2018

4. Paul Pogba

Pogba is the player that you can ascribe whatever feelings you want onto. If you desire, you can see him as a breathtaking box-to-box player with a generational passing touch and brilliant vision. Or you can see him as a gifted but frustrating player who wastes too many opportunities and settles for long shots too often. I go with the first option, but the choice is yours.

3. Kylian Mbappé

The breakout star of the tournament is showing us, at age 19, what is possible on a soccer field. Watching him gain confidence as the tournament went on, from being excited to be there and fit in with this squad, to the slow realization he made that no one on Earth can stop me, has been one of the best things about watching this World Cup.

2. Luka Modric

Your likely Golden Ball winner, Modric has been so devastatingly brilliant this World Cup it’s kind of hard to put it into words. It’s not just the distance he’s run (40 miles this tournament, the most of any player) but the way he’s been just everything for Croatia — their creative spark, their midfield engine, their security blanket, their calming presence. It all goes through him. If they win, he’s going to be the biggest reason why.

1. N’Golo Kante

I already wrote a long ode to Kante this week, so I won’t do it again. But there’s a reason soccer heads all geek out about this player. He’s taken the defensive midfield position, which I thought was perfected by Claude Makelele, and improved upon it. He’s the best I’ve ever seen, and the reason, I believe, France will win the World Cup final.

[ultrasfcb-blog]

France v Belgium: World Cup semi-final, European battle of world stars

France v Belgium: World Cup semi-final, European battle of world stars

France v Belgium: World Cup semi-final, European battle of world stars

World Cup 2018: How Kylian Mbappe lit up France v Argentina

2018 Fifa World Cup semi-final: France v Belgium Venue: St Petersburg Date: Tuesday, 10 July, 19:00 BST Coverage: Live on BBC One, full radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and text commentary online and in BBC Sport app

It has been billed as the “derby between pals”.

Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final pits 1998 winners France against the ‘golden generation’ from neighbours Belgium.

Both teams were among the pre-tournament favourites, but only one can reach Sunday’s final in Moscow.

Victory would set up a showpiece against Croatia or England – who meet on Wednesday – but who will progress?

BBC Sport takes a look at a fascinating battle both on and off the pitch.

A clash of styles?

There have also been 19 draws between the two European sides

In players such as Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba, these sides boast some of the world’s most devastating attacking players.

But their managers utilise the quality at their disposal in different ways.

France boss Didier Deschamps – who is aiming to emulate Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer by winning the World Cup as both a player and manager – has often been criticised for failing to get the most out of his squad.

Functionality, rather than flair, has been the key so far in Russia. They needed a late own goal in their opening match against Australia, edged past Peru 1-0 in their second, then played out a dull goalless draw with Denmark.

They did impress in beating Argentina 4-3 in the last 16, but that kind of open game is not Deschamps’ style.

“If you are looking for 5-0, don’t come to a World Cup, you won’t get this,” he said.

While Deschamps has not always garnered positive headlines, Martinez’s spell as Belgium manager has been almost flawless.

A surprise appointment, taking the job three months after being sacked by Everton, he has had a big impact.

He has not tasted defeat in a competitive game as Belgium boss, his last loss in a non-friendly match the Toffees’ 3-0 defeat by Sunderland in May 2016.

Martinez has overseen a run of 19 wins and five draws, culminating in an impressive 2-1 victory over Brazil in the quarter-finals.

Belgium’s haul of 14 goals is the most at this stage of a World Cup since 2002, when eventual winners Brazil had 15.

Speaking after that game, former England captain Alan Shearer said: “The big question about Belgium was ‘are you a team of individuals or can you come together as a team?’ He has gelled them together.

“That has got to come from the manager. There is a huge difference between where they are now and where they were two years ago.”

Time to deliver for ‘golden generation’

England know all about having a ‘golden generation’ of players.

Theirs failed to win any international silverware, but Belgium’s are on course to win the biggest prize of all.

The Red Devils won all of their games in the group stage and came from 2-0 down to beat Japan in the last 16 before that superb quarter-final showing against the five-time champions.

World Cup 2018: Brazil 1-2 Belgium highlights

They exited at the quarter-final stage of both the 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championship, so is time running out for this talented crop of players?

“It is important for everyone to understand that Belgium has a population of 11 million and the current generation of players did not happen by accident,” said Martinez.

“There is a very clear structure within professional football in Belgium. It is a country focused on developing its young talent.

“We can only be ourselves and we already have time to use this World Cup as an advantage with the newest generations.”

‘Bizarre’ situation as Henry plots France’s downfall

Henry (right) and Deschamps (left) lifted the World Cup trophy together in 1998

Possibly the most intriguing storyline of this semi-final comes off the pitch.

Thierry Henry was born near Paris and scored 53 goals in 123 appearances for France, winning the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

But he is now plotting his home country’s downfall as assistant manager of Belgium.

“Thierry Henry is really important for us,” said defender Toby Alderweireld. “He tells us stories from his playing days and they inspire us.

“If he says something, it always turns out to be something helpful. His presence, his World Cup experience, is all a very positive influence.”

Tuesday’s match pitches him against a former team-mate in Deschamps. The pair were never beaten in the 21 matches they played together for France.

Deschamps said: “It is bizarre because he is French and will be on the opponents’ bench. But he is someone I really appreciate and I am happy for him.”

Belgium midfielder De Bruyne is sure Henry “will want us to come out on top” – but France full-back Lucas Hernandez thinks it is a win-win situation for the former Arsenal and Barcelona forward.

“All France knows him, what a great player he was and what an icon for football,” said Hernandez.

“But if we win, he will also be happy because he is a Frenchman.”

‘A derby between pals’

This meeting will be the first between bordering nations since 1986, when West Germany met France.

Belgium playmaker Hazard was born near the French border, with Le Soir newspaper calling him “the most French of all the Belgians”. A photograph which has surfaced on social media appears to show Hazard and his brothers in France kits.

Le Soir describes this game as “a derby between pals”, adding: “This 74th derby between France and Belgium will be played in an atmosphere of a joyous neighbourhood get-together.”

In the village of Warneton, which straddles the border, people are struggling to pick a team to back.

“I think we’ll support France, but also Belgium, at least a little bit, because they’re our friends,” one resident told France3. Another said: “We’re happy because we support both, and what’s great, is that one of them will make it to the final!”

Three key head-to-heads

Antoine Griezmann v Romelu Lukaku

Another tournament, another in which Griezmann has shone for France. The Atletico Madrid forward netted six times at Euro 2016 to win the Golden Boot as his team finished runners-up to Portugal.

This time he will be looking to go one step further.

Griezmann has scored three times so far in Russia, one fewer than Lukaku. England’s Harry Kane leads the way with six.

Griezmann has scored seven goals in his past six knockout matches in major tournaments, while Lukaku has been directly involved in 20 goals in his past 13 games for Belgium – 17 goals and three assists.

Kylian Mbappe v Eden Hazard

Teenager Mbappe announced himself on the world stage with a brilliant man-of-the-match performance in France’s 4-3 victory over Argentina.

The Paris St-Germain player put on a devastating attacking show – his lightning speed and keen eye for goal helping him score twice and win a penalty.

Prior to that, his goal against Peru made him – at 19 years and 183 days – the youngest player to score for France in a major tournament.

Belgium captain Hazard, meanwhile, has already chipped in with two goals and two assists.

Both players like to run with the ball, too. Of those left in the competition, Mbappe (37) and Hazard (30) are the top two players for dribbles attempted.

“He apparently used to watch videos of me when he was younger,” Hazard told RMC Sport. “Now, it’s the other way around. I have a lot of respect for what he’s achieved at his age.”

Paul Pogba v Kevin de Bruyne

The battle for midfield superiority – made in Manchester.

United’s Pogba and City’s De Bruyne will be looking to exert their authority in the middle of the park, setting the tempo for their side.

As their main statistics show, De Bruyne has created three times as many chances as Pogba so far, but the Frenchman is able to win the ball back more often than his opponent.

Pogba De Bruyne 359 Minutes played 360 242 (78.1%) Passes (accuracy) 216 (81.2%) 5 Chances created 16 314 Touches 282 39/72 Duels won 17/37 34 Ball recoveries 24

Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring’s Laura Gozzi.

BBC Sport – Football ultras_FC_Barcelona

ultras FC Barcelona - https://ultrasfcb.com/football/8004/

#Barcelona

[365footballorg-blog]

France v Belgium - a clash of styles? A 'derby between pals'?

Media playback is not supported on this device

2018 Fifa World Cup semi-final: France v Belgium Venue: St Petersburg Date: Tuesday, 10 July, 19:00 BST Coverage: Live on BBC One, full radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and text commentary online and in BBC Sport app

It has been billed as the “derby between pals”.

Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final pits 1998 winners France against the ‘golden generation’ from neighbours Belgium.

Both teams were among the pre-tournament favourites, but only one can reach Sunday’s final in Moscow.

Victory would set up a showpiece against Croatia or England – who meet on Wednesday – but who will progress?

BBC Sport takes a look at a fascinating battle both on and off the pitch.

A clash of styles?

<!–

In players such as Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba, these sides boast some of the world’s most devastating attacking players.

But their managers utilise the quality at their disposal in different ways.

France boss Didier Deschamps – who is aiming to emulate Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer by winning the World Cup as both a player and manager – has often been criticised for failing to get the most out of his squad.

Functionality, rather than flair, has been the key so far in Russia. They needed a late own goal in their opening match against Australia, edged past Peru 1-0 in their second, then played out a dull goalless draw with Denmark.

They did impress in beating Argentina 4-3 in the last 16, but that kind of open game is not Deschamps’ style.

“If you are looking for 5-0, don’t come to a World Cup, you won’t get this,” he said.

While Deschamps has not always garnered positive headlines, Martinez’s spell as Belgium manager has been almost flawless.

A surprise appointment, taking the job three months after being sacked by Everton, he has had a big impact.

He has not tasted defeat in a competitive game as Belgium boss, his last loss in a non-friendly match the Toffees’ 3-0 defeat Sunderland in May 2016.

Martinez has overseen a run of 19 wins and five draws, culminating in an impressive 2-1 win over Brazil in the quarter-finals.

Belgium’s haul of 14 goals is the most at this stage of a World Cup since 2002, when eventual winners Brazil had 15.

Speaking after the quarter-final win over Brazil, former England captain Alan Shearer said: “The big question about Belgium was ‘are you a team of individuals or can you come together as a team?’ He has gelled them together.

“That has got to come from the manager. There is a huge difference between where they are now and where they were two years ago.”

Time to deliver for ‘golden generation’

England know all about having a ‘golden generation’ of players.

Theirs failed to win any international silverware, but Belgium’s are on course to win the biggest prize of all.

The Red Devils won all of their games in the group stage and came from 2-0 down to beat Japan in the last 16 before that superb quarter final showing against five-time champions Brazil.

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They exited at the quarter-final stage of both the 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championship, so is time running out for this talented crop of players?

“It is important for everyone to understand that Belgium has a population of 11 million and the current generation of players did not happen by accident,” said Martinez.

“There is a very clear structure within professional football in Belgium. It is a country focused on developing its young talent.

“We can only be ourselves and we already have time to use this World Cup as an advantage with the newest generations.”

‘Bizarre’ situation as Henry plots France’s downfall

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Possibly the most intriguing storyline of this semi-final comes off the pitch.

Thierry Henry was born near Paris and scored 53 goals in 123 appearances for France, winning the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

But he is now plotting his home country’s downfall as assistant manager of Belgium.

“Thierry Henry is really important for us,” said Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld. “He tells us stories from his playing days and they inspire us.

“If he says something, it always turns out to be something helpful. His presence, his World Cup experience, is all a very positive influence.”

Tuesday’s match pitches him against a former team-mate in Deschamps. The pair were never beaten in the 21 matches they played together for France.

Deschamps: “It is bizarre because he is French and will be on the opponents’ bench. But he is someone I really appreciate and I am happy for him.”

Belgium midfielder De Bruyne is sure Henry “will want us to come out on top” – but France full-back Lucas Hernandez thinks it is a win-win situation for the former Arsenal and Barcelona forward.

“All France knows him, what a great player he was and what an icon for football,” said Hernandez.

“But if we win, he will also be happy because he is a Frenchman.”

‘A derby between pals’

This meeting will be the first between bordering nations since 1986, when West Germany met France.

Belgium playmaker Hazard was born in northern France, with Le Soir newspaper calling him “the most French of all the Belgians”, and a photo on social media appears to show Hazard and his brothers posing in France kits.

Le Soir describes this game as “a derby between pals”, adding: “This 74th derby between France and Belgium will be played in an atmosphere of a joyous neighbourhood get-together.”

Meanwhile, in the village of Warneton, which straddles the border between the two countries, people are struggling to pick a team to back.

“I think we’ll support France, but also Belgium, at least a little bit, because they’re our friends,” one resident told France3. Another one says: “We’re happy because we support both, and what’s great, is that one of them will make it to the final!”

Three key head-to-heads

Antoine Griezmann v Romelu Lukaku

Another tournament, another in which Griezmann has shone for France. The Atletico Madrid forward netted six times at Euro 2016 to win the Golden Boot as his team finished runners-up to Portugal.

This time he will be looking to go one step further.

Griezmann has scored three times so far in Russia, one fewer than Lukaku. England’s Harry Kane leads the way with six.

Griezmann has scored seven goals in his past six knockout matches in major tournaments, while Lukaku has been directly involved in 20 goals in his past 13 games for Belgium – 17 goals and three assists.

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Kylian Mbappe v Eden Hazard

Teenager Mbappe announced himself on the world stage with a brilliant man-of-the-match performance in France’s 4-3 victory over Argentina.

The Paris St-Germain player put on a devastating attacking show – his lightning speed and keen eye for goal helping him to score twice and win a penalty.

Prior to that, his goal against Peru made him – at 19 years and 183 days – the youngest player to score for France in a major tournament.

Belgium captain Hazard, meanwhile, has already chipped in with two goals and two assists.

Both players like to run with the ball, too. Of those left in the competition, Mbappe (37) and Hazard (30) are the top two players for dribbles attempted.

“He apparently used to watch videos of me when he was younger,” Hazard told RMC Sport. “Now, it’s the other way around. I have a lot of respect for what he’s achieved at his age.”

Paul Pogba v Kevin de Bruyne

The battle for midfield superiority – made in Manchester.

United’s Pogba and City’s De Bruyne will be looking to exert their authority in the middle of the park, setting the tempo for their side.

As their main statistics show, De Bruyne has created three times as many chances as Pogba so far, but the Frenchman is able to win the ball back more often than his opponent.

Pogba De Bruyne 359 Minutes played 360 242 (78.1%) Passes (accuracy) 216 (81.2%) 5 Chances created 16 314 Touches 282 39/72 Duels won 17/37 34 Ball recoveries 24

Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring’s Laura Gozzi.

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BBC Sport – Football

France v Belgium – a clash of styles? A 'derby between pals'? was originally published on 365 Football

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Is Cheating in Soccer More Acceptable in Some Countries than Others?

In November 1952, the British author H.E. Bates penned a newspaper article affectionately describing soccer as “the most beautiful game in the world,” a phrase famously adopted by Pele for his 1977 autobiography.

While this has become almost synonymous with the sport, it was never really true, even long before Bates wrote his column. During the inaugural 1930 World Cup, some of the fouls were so brutal that games like Argentina’s 6-1 semi-final win over the US left many of the American team missing teeth or hospitalized with torn lips and stomach injuries.

But as the World Cup’s iconic stature has grown over the past 88 years, its darker side has evolved, with mass brawls and broken legs replaced by a more cerebral cunning—the cynical dives and penalty box grappling which sometimes overshadows the breathtaking skills and sublime goals.

The 2018 World Cup has already seen everything from Neymar’s outrageous slow-motion dive against Costa Rica, to French defender Lucas Hernandez’s remarkably brazen admission that he was deliberately throwing himself to the turf to try and get Aussie defender Mathew Leckie sent off.

But such moments elicit different types of reactions from fans and media around the globe depending on a range of factors from their allegiance, to the result, the team’s performance, and how the incident is perceived in that particular culture.

As a result, some of the World Cup’s darker moments can be extremely divisive.

Four years ago, Brazil striker Fred was widely criticized for diving to win a penalty during Brazil’s opening World Cup game against Croatia. French striker Loïc Rémy was particularly incensed when watching the incident, calling for Fred to be “punished.”

However, following Hernandez’s cheeky confession about his antics against Australia, there has been no apology from the French camp and little criticism in the French media, save for a light-hearted video from Le Figaro. Instead, the backlash came from the US—with USA Today dubbing Hernandez, the “World Cup’s most blatant cheater”—and legions of outraged Australian fans who bombarded the French player’s social media accounts with abuse.

Hernandez’s cheating admission provoked a particular outcry in Australia, a country which prides itself on the traditional values of sportsmanlike conduct. For Australians, it’s embedded deeply into the national psyche that it’s not only important to compete hard but compete fairly. “It’s because Australian sport prides itself on the gladiatorial aspect,” Huw Bonello, a journalist for Daily Telegraph Australia, told VICE Sports via email. “No matter what the odds are against you, you play hard but always fair. That’s how you are respected.”

With France winning that game 2-1, the French response (or lack of) was yet another example of how many nations are willing to condemn cheating when they are the victims, but look the other way when their own players are the perpetrators.

“First and foremost, every country supports their own and people love to win,” Sao Paulo based sociologist Jeffrey Lesser told VICE Sports in a phone call. “So when the national team wins, their journalists and supporters are typically willing to forgive certain behaviors far more than when the team loses.”

However, in some countries such high profile gamesmanship can lead to a backlash from the team’s own supporters, especially if they’re not living up to expectations.

While Neymar is Brazil’s talisman, his constant diving has seen him become the subject of widespread mockery, even from his own fans. Some pundits believe Neymar’s antics have been magnified by Brazil’s slow start in the World Cup. “We fans…always expect Brazil to play well and to play beautiful, technical football because those are Brazil’s trademarks,” legendary Brazilian striker Marta wrote in the Guardian.

For Asian teams, such as Japan and South Korea, a certain degree of play-acting is tolerated, but if a player’s diving became a high-profile topic because it changed the course of a match, the public and media would turn on him as it would be viewed as tarnishing the country’s reputation.

“South Koreans are even more outraged than most at any perceived cheating against them,” Korean soccer expert Steve Price told VICE Sports in a Facebook message. “However, things like a Korean player diving to gain an advantage are still accepted by the Korean public. The K League was one of the first to adopt VAR but it hasn’t stopped the diving and bothering the referee, just like every other league in the world. However something more major would probably draw a backlash from the Korean public as it would bring shame on Korea.”

But while diving is relatively ubiquitous, it’s some of the World Cup’s most controversial moments of all which have particularly divided opinions on what’s deemed acceptable on a football field, and what isn’t.

In the dying seconds of Uruguay’s quarter-final clash with Ghana at the 2010 World Cup, Luis Suarez kept his country in the World Cup by deliberately handling Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound header off the line. Suarez was immediately red carded with Ghana awarded a penalty to try and seal the match. But amid scenes of almost unbelievable tension, star striker Asamoah Gyan could only hit the crossbar, and Uruguay eventually went on to win in a penalty shootout.

Suarez was subsequently vilified across the world—both for his actions and his jubilant touchline celebrations after Gyan’s miss. One Journalist wondered “Why can’t football tackle cheats?” While some called for FIFA to hand Suarez an extended ban.

However to this day, Uruguayan fans and journalists view Suarez’s actions in a very different light. They regard his behavior as heroic, rather than cheating.

“We see it in a very different way,” Luis Roux, a journalist for Uruguayan newspaper El Observador, told VICE Sports via email. “Our belief is that Suarez’s intention was not cheating—like Maradona’s handball for example—but avoiding defeat. And we also see Suarez’s celebrations after Gyan missed the penalty, in a different way. Other countries, like the British, think that Suarez should have been ashamed instead of expressing his joy. Uruguayans disagree, we think it was right that he was proud of his sacrifice for the team. Ghana should have won the game, but they missed the penalty. We do not see that as our fault.”

Because of this perception, and a number of high profile incidents involving Latin American players—from Suarez to the aforementioned Hand of God in 1986 to Rivaldo’s infamous playacting to get Turkey’s Hakan Ünsal sent off in 2002—a stereotype has emerged that Latin American players are more likely to turn to underhanded tactics in crucial World Cup matches.

But is this really true? Some Latin American pundits believe so, ascribing it partly to the conditions in which players like Suarez, Maradona, and Neymar grew up in.

“You have to realize that all these kids grow up in the barrios, the poor neighborhoods,” Chilean soccer commentator Luis Tapia, who works for TV station Univision, told VICE Sports in a phone call. “A lot of them don’t even finish primary school. In Europe, many of the star players have grown up in youth academies with beautiful pitches, freshly cut grass, painted lines, readily available water, places where they feel comfortable. In Latin America, the equivalent players start playing soccer without shoes, in stones and dirt. So here, it’s the game of the ‘hood. It’s about survival. These players grow up trying to provide for their families, so they learn to do whatever it takes to make sure that you don’t lose. Other people may take it as unfair play, but it’s part of the game.”

Tapia and others point to linguistic evidence of this mentality. In Argentina and Uruguay, there’s an expression called viveza criolla, which translates as “native cunning” and refers to a culture of trying to get a psychological edge over the opposition wherever and whenever possible.

“The Spanish-speaking countries also talk about picardía, which means to be crafty, to play with your senses, use your cunning to do things the referee doesn’t see,” Diego Pena, a Mexican radio commentator for Univision, told VICE Sports in a phone call.

But not everyone agrees with this. After all, the World Cup is littered with incidents of cynical behavior from European players—in the 1990 World Cup final Rudi Voller dived to win West Germany a decisive penalty against Argentina, while a study of gamesmanship at the 2010 World Cup found Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo to be among the worst offenders.

From a sociological perspective, Lesser believes that neither culture nor the legacy of an impoverished upbringing are likely to be factors in a player trying to bend the rules. He points to Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku who grew up in abject poverty and yet was commended for his sportsmanship against Tunisia in the group stages.

“This generation of soccer players are very internationalized,” he told VICE Sports. “A lot of the big Latin American stars play for European clubs. So this makes me doubt that it’s something in Latin American culture which makes a player turn to gamesmanship.”

Instead, Lesser suspects that the real answer is linked to the sheer amount of attention devoted to the World Cup across the globe.

“The players we tend to think of first when it comes to gamesmanship are the likes of Ronaldo, Neymar, the highest paid players in the world,” he says. “So maybe it’s not an accident that it’s these players who are constantly under intense scrutiny regarding everything they do, who feel like they’re being targeted by everybody. That’s tough and that probably leads to behaviors that aren’t always under control.”

Is Cheating in Soccer More Acceptable in Some Countries than Others? syndicated from https://australiahoverboards.wordpress.com

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