Now it is Belgium's turn to attack again as Karim Benzema gives the ball away and Kevin de Bruyne feeds Romelu Lukaku, who cuts inside but is then crowded out and has the sting taken off his shot.

Thibaut Courtois then makes a fairly routine catch from a Benjamin Pavard flick at the other end.

As we hoped it has been a superb start as now France attack with Kylian Mbappe beating Thibaut Courtois to a ball into the box but the angle is too tight for a shot and his cutback is cleared.

That Hugo Lloris save gets better with every replay. It was from close range, through bodies and took a deflection. Incredible stuff.

Theo Hernández does well to hook a decent cross into the box but Belgium clear and then break quickly to get into the box before Hugo Lloris saves superbly to deny Kevin de Bruyne!

What a save!

France are in possession in the early stages, keeping hold of the ball and sizing up their opponents.

There's so much attacking talent on show here there's simply no chance this will be goalless after 90 minutes.

Having said that, I was at Burnley-Norwich at the weekend as they played out a first goalless draw in their history, so...

Euro 2020 cult hero the mini matchball car is here to present the ball for the kick off.

Right then, the top ranked team in the world versus the reigning world champions... should be a cracker!

We're under way.

Plenty of colourful fans inside the Allianz Stadium for this one as the two teams come out onto the pitch.

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Earlier this week we asked you to pick your combined team of the Nations League finals and this is what you came up with.

Italy form the spine of the defence, with centre-backs Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini in front of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who received a whopping 83% of votes as number one.

The only Spanish player selected - Cesar Azpilicueta - is at right-back, with France's Lucas Digne on the left.

An all-Premier League midfield of Belgium's Kevin de Bruyne (the most picked player with over 58,000 selections) and French pair N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, sit behind an attacking trio that spans the nations - Italy's Federico Chiesa, Belgium's Romelu Lukaku and France's Kylian Mbappe.

You can still choose your team here.

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Italy's world-record 37-game unbeaten run came to an end yesterday as Spain beat them in an enthralling encounter at the San Siro to reach the Nations League final.

Albeit in Uefa's secondary tournament, Spain got a measure of revenge for their Euro 2020 semi-final penalty shootout defeat by eventual winners Italy at Wembley.

Manchester City's Ferran Torres scored Spain's goals in Milan from two Mikel Oyarzabal crosses to send Luis Enrique's side to Sunday's final against either Belgium or France.

Italy were already second best, and 1-0 down, when captain Leonardo Bonucci was sent off for two bookings, the second for an elbow on Sergio Busquets.

They looked dead and buried until Lorenzo Pellegrini's late goal after a wonderful Federico Chiesa run on a counter-attack - but could not find an unmerited equaliser.

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Belgium and France met in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup with the latter winning 1-0 to progress to the final before going on to become champions.

"There is this rivalry and it's maybe a bit heightened after the semi-final in Russia," France boss Didier Deschamps said.

"We don't fear them but they have a solid shape and plenty of creative ability. Their attacking play is very effective and they are very efficient."

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Belgium, meanwhile, are running out of time for their 'Golden Generation' to live up to that tag.

They have been the top ranked team for the best part of the decade but have not won a major tournament in that time.

With the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne in their late 20s/early 30s, next year's World Cup could be their last chance to win something big, and so a win against heavyweight rivals France will help to prove they are heading into Qatar 2022 at their peak.

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This is arguably one of the most talented France squads for years but despite that their form in recent times has not been great at all.

Following their Euro 2020 exit they could only manage draws with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine before ending a run of five games without a win in 90 minutes by beating Finland.

Didier Deschamps' side will now be targeting a win against Belgium to prove they are back on track as they look to defend their status as world champions in Qatar next year.

England Under-21s are also in action tonight and they've just kicked off against Slovenia.

Boss Lee Carsley makes two changes to the side that began the 2-0 win over Kosovo in September.

Arsenal's Emile Smith Rowe starts and Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey also comes in for his debut in the Young Lions' Euro 2023 qualifier in Slovenia.

James Garner drops to the bench and PSV Eindhoven forward Noni Madueke had already withdrawn due to injury.

Cole Palmer, Rhian Brewster, Oliver Skipp and Conor Gallagher also all start but Liverpool's Curtis Jones misses the Group G fixture with a knock.

Plenty of Premier League interest on show for both sides in a very tasty fixture this evening.

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne and Leicester pair Youri Tielemans and Timothy Castagne all start for Belgium.

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard captains the side.

Belgium XI: Courtois, Castagne, Alderweireld, Denayer, Vertonghen, Carrasco, Witsel, Tielemans, De Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku.

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris skippers a France side which contains Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane.

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema is up front alongside PSG's Kylian Mbappe and Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann.

France XI: Lloris, Pavard, Kounde, Varane, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Pogba, Rabiot, Griezmann, Mbappe, Benzema.

Two nations brimming with exciting talent - many expected the winners of Euro 2020 to be one of France or Belgium but both, ultimately, flattered to deceive.

France were beaten in the first round of the knockout stage while Belgium got one round further before they too made an early exit.

Now the two sides meet in the Nations League semi-final looking to prove that their Euro 2020 failure was merely a blip.

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