*By Christian Smith* For soccer fans it feels like the 2018 FIFA World Cup only kicked off but moments ago, yet the tournament is already down to its final four teams: Belgium, Croatia, England, and France. France and Belgium start off the semifinals Tuesday at 1 pm ET in St. Petersburg. Both teams looked strong in their last matches ー France as it overwhelmed Uruguay 2-0, and Belgium as it upset early tournament favorite Brazil 2-1 in rather convincing fashion. *Les Bleus* have won the World Cup once before in 1998 and with a stacked squad that includes rising \(arguably risen\) star Kylian Mbappé they could easily do it again. Belgium, however, has something to prove. The country has never made it to the World Cup finals. *The Red Devils*' best showing was in 1986 when the team lost in the semifinals and the third-place game. The Belgian team has shown that it has what it takes to win big games, but with less consistency, Mike Murphy, deputy editor at Quartz, said on Cheddar Monday. "I feel like they kind of get unraveled at times," Murphy said. "I think that France is probably the stronger team. I think they really just have shown that they're a little bit more of a team." Don't count out Croatia and England quite yet. The two teams go head to head Wednesday at 1 pm ET in Moscow. It would seem that Croatia has an uphill battle, recovering from two long, physical matches that ended in penalty kicks. But team captain Luka Modrić showed that he still has gas in the tank with a few breakaways at the end of extra time against Russia. It's the country's second semifinal appearance, the first being in 1998 - the first year Croatia competed as its own country in the World Cup. England, which fielded one of the youngest teams in this year's tournament, looked rested and ready to go in the team's 2-0 sweep against Sweden. Forward Harry Kane will be one to watch in the match-up. He's the leading goalscorer in the tournament, although many of those goals came from penalties. The winners of both matches will face off in the finals Sunday at 11 am ET in Moscow. The losers will have to pick themselves up and head back to the field for the third-place playoff game Saturday at 10 am ET in St. Petersburg. For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/previewing-the-world-cup-semifinals)

Share:
More In Sports
Unikrn CEO Rahul Sood Wants to Create a Safe Space for Esports Gambling
The subject of gambling and esports has become a point of serious tension for gamers. For companies like Unikrn, which built its platform on the practice of esports betting, battling that stigma is a central, implicit part of the operation. According to CEO and co-founder Rahul Sood, the company is determined to make betting on esports a “safe, legal, and relegated” space.
How Hax$ Went From Injury to Innovation
Four years ago, Aziz “Hax$” Al-Yami was one of the best Super Smash Bros. Melee players in the world. But after suffering what he said felt like “an explosion” in his left wrist, Hax’s once-impressive tournament performances were marred by serious physical pain. So he found his own solution: a different type of controller. Hax talked to Cheddar Sports about his life-changing design.
Disney Earnings Preview: What to Watch
Disney's new streaming service and its acquisition of Fox assets will be the main fixation when the entertainment giant reports earnings and revenue after market close on Thursday.
A-Rod on His Next Inning: Becoming a CEO
Alex Rodriguez parlayed a lucrative and controversial baseball career into a successful second act as the CEO of his own investment firm, A-ROD Corp. He spoke to Cheddar about his investment strategy.
FanDuel Strikes Deal With New Jersey Devils and NHL for Branding, Data
Kip Levin, president and COO of FanDuel Group, said that the partnership with the New Jersey Devils will be helpful in expanding the FanDuel experience. New Jersey was the second state to legalize sports betting, opening up opportunities with companies like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Orangetheory Empowers Fitness Buffs With Data
Orangetheory Fitness may have the signature buzz of a workout fad, but CEO Dave Long has a plan to ensure the longevity of the fitness franchise ー and of its members. His idea? Data.
Load More