Had the World Cup semifinals played out a little differently four years ago, we’d be looking at a rematch of the 2018 final. As it stands, Group F features the runner-up (Croatia) and the third-place finisher (Belgium) from Russia—and both teams return with their cores largely intact. Belgium will once again rely on 31-year-old playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and 29-year-old striker Romelu Lukaku, who have led their country to the top of the FIFA world rankings (Belgium is currently No. 2)—but never to a trophy.
Croatia is also led by a familiar face: 37-year-old Luka Modrić, who won the Golden Ball as the best player in the 2018 tournament, during which his side won three dramatic knockout-stage games that either went to extra time or penalties.
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