France — with an average age of 26 — will face either Croatia or England, who play Wednesday at the Luzhniki Stadium in the Russian capital, and has a shot at redemption after losing its last two major finals — at the 2006 World Cup when Zinedine Zidane was sent off for a nasty head-butt and the 2016 European Championship on home soil. But France is back in soccer's World Cup championship game because of the simplest of things: Defender Samuel Umtiti lost his marker, a corner kick found his forehead, and he turned the ball into the net for the only goal in France's 1-0 victory over Belgium. The French players danced on the field after the final whistle and shook the hand of Thierry Henry, who helped Les Bleus win the World Cup in 1998 and is now Belgium's assistant coach. Here, Press Association Sport looks at how Les Bleus made it all the way to the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15, where they will face either England or Croatia. Stores have been pushing waistcoat sales as England advanced to a World Cup semifinal match against Croatia in Moscow on Wednesday, with people taken by Southgate's style of wearing a vest without his suit jacket,

Southgate says "I was not a renowned fashion icon throughout my playing career, so it's rather strange to feel that way now. Umtiti played his part in a strong defensive effort by the French, too, helping to shut out the highest-scoring team at the tournament and leaving Belgium's golden generation of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku to regret another missed opportunity at a major tournament. "The game was, as you can imagine, very close, very tight, and it was going to be decided (on) maybe the one that could find that final touch in the box." Up in the corporate seats, French President Emmanuel Macron reacted to the goal by shaking the hand of King Philippe of Belgium as FIFA president Gianni Infantino watched on between them.
France knocks out Belgium from the World Cup, with France moving on to the final against either Croatia or England.