4. Belgium is chilling like a…

“I haven’t noticed a single splash of stress with the national team,” Maebe said.

“Not before Brazil, not after being down 2-0 against Japan and not after the injury concerns regarding Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen.

“There is so much confidence - it’s atypical Belgium.”

5. Night travel is a good thing

“Belgium has travelled a lot and played a lot of evening games,” Maebe said.

“The players, however, have chosen to return immediately after a game to the base camp near Moscow. Why? Because they cannot sleep after a game anyway due to the adrenaline boost.

“So, they arrive every back at 3, 4, 5am in Moscow and start their sleep then, followed by breakfast and a light training. Apparently, it works.

France training session at the Saint Petersburg Stadium on Monday

Interesting angles for France v Belgium

Gillaume Maebe also provides FourFourTwo with some insider knowledge regarding Belgium’s French Connection.

• The friendship between Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba (they both speak Spanish/Portuguese now. Took some lessons together?)
• France’s Benjamin Pavard had been close to playing for Belgian club Zulte Waregem two years ago, but chose to play for Germany’s Stuttgart instead..
• Thiery Henry’s Henry influence, off course.
• Youri Tielemans plays at Monaco and Michy Batshuayi was at Marseille before joining Chelsea.
• Eden Hazard, also has spent time in France. He once gave an interview were he said that as a child he supported France over Belgium because he was a youth player of Lille. There is also a picture of him with two of his brothers in a French shirt.
• France goal keeper Hugo Lloris is friends with practically half of the Belgian squad especially Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Dembele and Chadl.
• Kyllian Mbappé has some friends from his days playing at Cercle Brugge who is a satellite club of AS Monaco.
• Meunier is suspended, which is a blow. He knew Neymar, and he also knows Mbappe.