France topple Belgium on memorable night and will face Spain in San Siro final

A goal in the twilight of Theo Hernández favors the triumph of Deschamps' team, able to overcome a 0-2.

He has soccer, a team sport, the unhealthy habit of arguing who is the best player. There enter the philias and phobias of the fan, the subjective gaze of the analyst or the usual media propaganda. Debates on the sidelines, bringing together footballers like Kylian Mbappé , Karim Benzema , Kevin de Bruyne or Romelu Lukaku in the same game drags on to pleasure. France, which recovered from a bad first half and 2-0 against, ended up knocking down Belgium on a memorable night. Although the final triumph was led by a supporting actor, former Real Madrid player Theo Hernández, who in his second internationality released a shoe in the 90th minute of those who mark one forever. Spain, on Sunday at San Siro, already know what they are up against in the Nations League final.

Belgium and France had to pose before the mirror of their traumas. The golden generation led from the bench by Roberto Martínez missed a unique opportunity in that semifinal of the World Cup in Russia, when Samuel Umtiti condemned the Belgians to the crumbs of third place. The complex will still be there.

The French, despite having better pieces, fight against a theoretical involution since they raised the World Cup. His fall to Switzerland in the last 16 of the last European Championship, with Mbappé missing the decisive penalty, was a warning. But fixable after seeing his extraordinary performance in the second half of Turin.

The absence of Kanté broke the French balance in the first half, despite the fact that Deschamps has been able to protect himself by pulling three centrals. Koundé , Varane and Lucas suffered in that section, both in the transitions and in the static defense. A drawing is useless if the application is not adequate. You just have to see the security with which Belgium expanded and contracted from its three defenders.

Lukaku Fortress

In his day, it was Roberto Martínez who showed Diego Pablo Simeone the way in terms of Carrasco's efficiency, occupying an entire lane. With spaces, the Atlético footballer is uncontrollable. Belgium's first goal came after Carrasco smashed Pavard with insulting ease to finish off with his right at the near post. Lloris , who had woken up with an incredible hand-to-hand from De Bruyne, was this time nailed.

Nor had France risen from the first blow when they conceded the second. Lukaku received his back on one side. Lucas, who was the one who defended him, could do nothing against the forward, who ran like a hare and released a hammer when there was hardly any angle. Lloris only needed to move away.

But Mbappé never gave up. He asked for all the balls and did not tire of looking for the comeback. After a memorable career, with Carrasco this time as a victim, he offered Griezmann an assist that he missed point-blank. Then the PSG striker found Benzema, whose spinning top was the preamble to the goal that oppressed the duel. The tie came due to an untimely tackle by Tielemans to Griezmann in the area warned by the VAR. Mbappé, who needed to blur the memory of the missed penalty in Bucharest, neither hid nor failed. He even had 2-3 in his boots before Lukaku's sentence at the regulation time limit was annulled for offside. Pogba also sniffed the glory with a shot at the post.

The game was left to Theo. Because in this sport everyone counts.