Summary

  • France play Germany in semi-final on Thursday

  • Giroud gets France's fifth and his second

  • Griezmann, Payet & Pogba score other goals

  • Sigthorsson & Bjarnason get Iceland’s goals

  1. Get involvedpublished at 18:57 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    #bbceuro2016

    I'm also keen to hear any tenuous reasons for supporting one of the remaining teams.

    Did Icelanders Sigur Ros bring you to tears at a gig at Blackpool Empress Ballroom?

    Summer holidays in a French gite mean you are all about the hosts?

    A love of Claudia Schiffer or Jurgen Klinsmann mean that you're backing Die Mannschaft?

    Or do you just really love Nando's?

    Sigur RosImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    What's not to like? A man playing guitar with a violin bow.

    Again - text on 81111 or tweet us at #bbceuro2016

  2. Who is Samuel Umtiti?published at 18:56 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    What a time to make your international debut. 

    With Adil Rami suspended, France needed a partner for Laurent Koscielny at centre-back. Rather than going for Manchester City's Eliaquim Mangala, 22-year-old Samuel Umtiti gets the nod. 

    The Lyon defender, who is set to join Barcelona for £21m, has played at Under-21 level, and featured alongside Paul Pogba and Kurt Zouma as France won the Under-20 World Cup in 2013.

    But manager Didier Deschamps only called him up after injuries to Jeremy Mathieu and Raphael Varane, with Zouma having been ruled out earlier in the season. 

    Perhaps it's no surprise Mangala was overlooked; he hasn't exactly set the world alight this season... 

    UmtitiImage source, Reuters
  3. Two changes for Francepublished at 18:56 British Summer Time 3 July 2016
    Breaking

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    As expected, the suspended Adil Rami and N'Golo Kante are replaced by Newcastle's Moussa Sissoko and Samuel Umtiti.

    Iceland are unchanged for the fifth game in a row.

  4. 'Huuuh!published at 18:52 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    It sounds like a Viking war chant but Iceland's brilliant and slightly terrifying rhythmic roar apparently has Scottish origins... 

    According to the Irish Times,, external fans of Icelandic club Stjarnan picked it up from supporters of Motherwell after playing them in a Europa League qualifier in 2014.

    But the question is, where did Motherwell get it from? This looks like evidence, external fans of Greek club PAOK had their own version back in 2011...

    In this globalised world, nothing's ever straightforward...

  5. Postpublished at 18:51 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    It's quite difficult to talk about the scale of Iceland's achievements in proportion to its scale as a nation without coming across as patronising

    And even this lovely BBC News graphic seems to portray them as a bunch of kids who just spend all day sledging. When they're not killing whales and skating on glaciers of course. 

    .Image source, .
  6. 'We're basically the army'published at 18:50 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Iceland fansImage source, Getty Images

    "We are too few to have an army," Iceland coach/dentist Heimir Hallgrimsson said.

    "We would probably be easily defeated if we were to go to war, lacking manpower. So these guys are the Icelandic army, that's why everyone is supporting them."

  7. We want goalspublished at 18:49 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    The past two encounters between France and Iceland have produced 10 goals, both finishing 3-2 to the French.

    What chance a repeat performance in Paris tonight?

    Eric CantonaImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    1991 - when kits were kits

    That's Monsieur Cantona of course.

    Did you know that Iceland had their own 'Erik the Red'? He took settlers from Iceland to colonise Greenland in the year 986.

    That must have been a tough sell...

  8. Postpublished at 18:49 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Both teams have now arrived at a wet and grim Stade de France. We should have confirmed team news for you very soon.

  9. 'No surprises please'published at 18:47 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Hugo LlorisImage source, Getty Images

    France captain Hugo Lloris stresses that "we realise that being a big nation and playing nice football is not enough to make it to the last four."

    "The best teams playing the best football are no longer here," he added.

    "It shows that we're back to values such as the importance of a collective effort. It's mental strength that makes the difference and that's what we will need to qualify.

    "There will be no surprises for us. If we go out there just telling ourselves that we're the best and have more talent, we won't go through."

  10. Quality, not quantitypublished at 18:47 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Olivier GiroudImage source, Getty Images

    France have attempted 44 more shots than Iceland at the Euros but have scored the same number of goals. Six.

  11. How Icelanders found football glorypublished at 18:46 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Media caption,

    How Icelanders found football glory

    Matthew Price has been to Iceland to gauge the nation's excitement levels, as their national football team prepare to take on France.

    How Icelanders found football glory

    Matthew Price is in Iceland to consider how the national team found success in France.

    Read More
  12. Get involvedpublished at 18:45 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    #bbceuro2016

    Are you embracing the year of the underdog? Or do you long for Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, Germany, the Netherlands, maybe even England putting in a classic display and dominating the tournament?

    Are you hoping for an Iceland v Wales final? Or do you want Germany, France or Portugal to win it?

    Let us know by texting us at 81111 (UK Only) or tweeting us at #bbceuro2016.

  13. We're here for the smitingpublished at 18:44 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    It's not exactly subtle, but Iceland are winning the war of words, hands down.  

  14. Never in doubt...published at 18:44 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Paul Fletcher
    BBC Sport at Stade de France in Paris

    France coach Didier Deschamps might have been at pains to stress that his team will not be under-estimating Iceland this evening but I'm not sure this message has filtered down to the supporters.

    No French fans I spoke to thought their side would lose and many were predicting an easy win.

    Quentin - on the right and surely not a common name in France? - predicted a 3-0 win and then posed for photo after photo. Face paint and a wig can just about give you your 15 minutes these days.

    France fans outside the Stade de France
  15. The sun never sets...published at 18:41 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    I just had a quick look and the sun is due to set in Reykjavik at 23.51 tonight - before coming back up at 03.13.

    If Iceland win I'm pretty sure the entire population will miss that brief interlude of darkness...

    IcelandImage source, epa
    Image caption,

    The party is about to start in Reykjavik

  16. Hometown glory?published at 18:40 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Eighteen years ago, to the very day, France stepped out at the Stade de France for a quarter-final on home turf.

    History repeats itself tonight.

    Then France were nervy, jittery as I recall. They drew 0-0 with Italy, but it went to penalties and Luigi di Biagio smashed one against the crossbar.

    Luidi di BiagioImage source, Getty Images

    France would go on to win the 1998 World Cup.

    Me and my friends played heads and volleys in the park and then had a GoldenEye tournament. Great days.

  17. 'We've changed lives'published at 18:39 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Aron GunnarssonImage source, Getty Images

    Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson on BBC Radio Wales: "We said before the game that beating England would change lives and for Icelandic football in general and I think it has.

    "We're getting more and more attention and the further we go it will get even better, and as long as we keep our feet on the ground and keep on progressing as a team you never know.

    "If you come to a game with the right attitude and are tactically spot-on you've always got a chance - even if you are the underdogs."

  18. Hold the back pagepublished at 18:39 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    BBC Monitoring

    French paper Le Figaro, external says: “The Blues have often conquered the Icelandic Volcano.” Their report goes on to list France’s exploits against Iceland, including an 8-0 drubbing of the Icelanders in 1957.

    But there are cautious tones from France boss Didier Deschamps, who says: “I have a lot of respect for the Iceland team. They are not small players and they are not here by chance. They’ve stolen nothing and played well even before the tournament. Their support is very important. Their fans are very noisy.”

    French daily Ouest France, external warns that the tournament has already seen the collective triumph over individual skill. “Euro 2016 has not seen the stars shine, but instead has preferred to glorify the notion of teamwork, sacrifice and organisation, with Wales and Iceland proud representatives of this.”

    L'Equipe back pageImage source, L'Equipe
    Image caption,

    'They're waiting for France' reads the headline on sports daily L'Equipe

  19. Iceland: Small placepublished at 18:36 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    IcelandImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Look at the traffic in Reykjavik...

    Everyone's been battered with various stats about Iceland since they started on this run. But just to be absolutely, 100% sure that this qualifies as a David v Goliath clash, here's a few more:

    • Iceland are the smallest nation to ever qualify for a major tournament
    • It has a population of about 330,000
    • France has five cities with bigger populations than that
    • An estimated 10-15% of the Iceland population have travelled to France
    • If 10% of France's population turned up in England - or elsewhere - you'd be looking at an influx of 6.7m people
  20. How very Mancunianpublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 3 July 2016

    France v Iceland (20:00 BST)

    Paul Fletcher
    BBC Sport at Stade de France in Paris

    A steady drizzle (the type that gets you wet, according to my Grandma), the occasional sound of English touts outside the station (probably banking on a different fixture today) and pints disappearing by the bucket-load. 

    There was, dare I say it, something that felt very English about certain aspects of the walk to the stadium a few hours before kick-off.

    But then I bumped into these guys, who gave the whole thing an undoubtedly French vibe, as well as unsettling a fair few of the press trying to swerve their way beyond them on their way to the media centre.

    Dancers on stilts outside the Stade de France