France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris expects that his side will ‘have to suffer’ before they stand a chance of overcoming Belgium in their World Cup semi-final in St Petersburg.
The European neighbours meets for a place in Sunday’s final in Moscow against either England or Croatia.
France have won their two previous World Cup meetings with Belgium and Les Bleus booked their place in the last-four with a gritty 2-0 victory over Uruguay.
Lloris feels Didier Deschamps’ side are ready for the challenge of taking on a Belgian side who ‘know how to do everything’ on a football pitch.
“They are an exhaustive team, they know how to do everything. I think the Belgian team is the most exhaustive team in all aspects of the game during this tournament – they are strong everywhere,” he said.
“They have everything they need to be a great team and they are a great team.”
With the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris knows that he is coming up against the perceived ‘golden generation’ of Belgian football.
He admits they are a talented bunch and anticipates a tough night, but Lloris is eager to seize the chance to push France into a first World Cup decider since a painful loss to Italy 12 years ago.
“It is a fantastic generation and in order to beat them we will have to play a great match. We know there are going to be difficult moments, and we’ll have to be ready to suffer,” he added.
“But we will be ready because we have an extremely good state of mind, and it is the semi-finals in the World Cup. It is an opportunity in our careers and we have to grab it with both hands.”
France are 2.40 favourites to win, with Belgium priced at 3.10 and the draw is 3.30.
Lloris is eager to seize the chance to push France into a first World Cup decider since a painful loss to Italy 12 years ago.
“It is a fantastic generation and in order to beat them we will have to play a great match. We know there are going to be difficult moments, and we’ll have to be ready to suffer,” he added.
“But we will be ready because we have an extremely good state of mind, and it is the semi-finals in the World Cup.
It is an opportunity in our careers and we have to grab it with both hands.” France are 2.40 favourites to win, with Belgium priced at 3.10 and the draw is 3.30.
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