Highlights

France is back in the World Cup final for the third time in the past six tournaments after a 1-0 victory over Belgium on Tuesday in Saint Petersburg. While there was just one goal in the France vs Belgium highlights, there was incredible action from two of the most entertaining teams in Russia this summer.

France made its first trip to the World Cup final in 1998 as host. Les Bleus returned in 2006 when Zinedine Zidane’s head butt ended their chances against Italy. Now France will play either England or Croatia in the final on Sunday in Moscow. 

Throughout the entirety of the France vs Belgium semifinal, you could do nothing but watch and wonder when Eden Hazard and Kylian Mbappe got on the ball. How is it possible that these two are this good? The pair's simply unplayable when on form, and both have clearly been at their best in Russia.

In the first half, Hazard went off on a terrorizing run after doing in Benjamin Pavard. His flurry of feet to then ruin Pavard again and drift inside Paul Pogba was poetry in motion.

Congratulations to England, but that second game was a stunner, goodness gracious me. As a neutral, it’s difficult to remember anything from the early match after what we’ve just witnessed in Sochi. That was everything: crackling, attacking, heart-palpitating goodness. I can’t even think straight. Russia’s out, but Russia really won me over with that one.  

Harry Kane better watch his back. After the Denis Cheryshev goal vs Croatia, Russia’s upstart winger is hot on the heels of England’s penalty kick master.

The final quarterfinal match of the 2018 World Cup saw Croatia take on the host nation in Sochi on Saturday. A fairly even opening half hour saw Croatia take most of the possession but Russia looked dangerous on the counter. 

Neymar and his diving antics are going home. Belgium is through to the semifinals with a 2-1 win over Brazil on Friday, ensuring the 2018 World Cup champion will be European. And the Brazil vs Belgium highlights will show just how much the Red Devils deserved to advance at the expense of the Seleção. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic used all of his 6-5, 209 pound Swedish frame to open the scoring for Los Angeles against DC United on the Fourth of July, making it 10 goals from 13 games for the striker. The 36-year-old is doing everything in his power to restore LA to prominence in MLS, but the Galaxy aren’t any good.  

Darwin Quintero, Minnesota United’s first-ever Designated Player signing, repaid in full his $1.65 million salary by scoring the club’s maiden hat-trick in Major League Soccer. What’s more, it was the greatest hat-trick in the history of the league. I can say that because I was there — look! Here’s a picture of Michael Bradley suffering in the Fourth of July heat whilst “shielding” his backline (he was awful).

It was the outcome England dreaded most: After going out on penalties in ’90, ’98 and ’06, it was penalties again in '18 — this time in the Round of 16 against Colombia. What’s more, after conceding a 92nd minute equalizer to Yerry Mina, you could imagine that English spirits weren’t exactly flying high.