France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, left, in training, is aware he and his teammates will need to be at their best to beat Belgium. AP Photo
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, left, in training, is aware he and his teammates will need to be at their best to beat Belgium. AP Photo
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, left, in training, is aware he and his teammates will need to be at their best to beat Belgium. AP Photo
France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, left, in training, is aware he and his teammates will need to be at their best to beat Belgium. AP Photo

Hugo Lloris vows France must have 'no regrets' against Belgium in World Cup semi-final


John McAuley
  • English
  • Arabic

Hugo Lloris described it as peculiar and that felt about right.

On Tuesday, when the France captain lines up against Belgium in Saint Petersburg, for a place in the World Cup final, he will look across at the opposition and see a lot of extremely familiar faces.

Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele, current Tottenham Hotspur teammates. Nacer Chadli, a former colleague.

On the bench, too, where Thierry Henry, France’s leading goalscorer with whom he once shared an international dressing room, now serves as Belgium’s assistant manager. "His heart will be split," offered Loris on Monday.

So peculiar about sums it up. Yet friendships will have to be put on hold. For 90 minutes, 120, or perhaps even more. After all, it is a World Cup semi-final.

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“We do know them very well,” Lloris said. “All their players play in great clubs, most in the Premier League, so we know them more than well. And they know us more than well. There are going to be great players on the pitch, it’s going to be a great match and we have to live it fully.

“And, most importantly, we’re going to have to leave the pitch with no regrets; with the impression we’ve given everything.”

Moderate and measured, Lloris is hardly the tub-thumping type. Still, he spoke in front of the assembled media at Saint Petersburg Stadium of rising to the challenge the following night, of France being better than they were in the last-16 victory against Argentina (4-3) or the quarter-final win against Uruguay (2-0). He understands they need to be, given the their next opponents.

Belgium are packed with talent, fronted by Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, all Premier League rivals. They have been instated as tournament favourites following their 2-1 triumph against Brazil in Kazan on Friday. Theirs is that so-called "Golden Generation".

So, even though Belgium have yet to win a World Cup – France were champions 20 years ago and runners-up in 2006 – clearly Lloris recognises the current crop's potential.

“The Belgium team is the most complete team in all aspects during this tournament, because the team can defend and attack,” the Spurs goalkeeper said. “They are strong everywhere. They have everything they need to be great team and they are a great team. It is a fantastic generation.

“They are going to arrive tomorrow with a lot of confidence, and we’re going to need an incredibly great French team tomorrow in order to succeed.

We have to be ready to suffer, but we will be ready. Because we’re in an extremely good state of mind and also it’s the semi-finals of a World Cup. So that’s it. That is an opportunity in our career and we have to grab it with both hands.”

It helps that the France team is not half bad, either. Finalists at the 2016 Euros, they have experience but an electrifying young group, as well. Kylian Mbappe, 19, has been one of the stars of the tournament.

Lloris debuted for France when Mbappe was nine. He captained his national team in the final defeat, in extra-time, to Portugal on home soil two years ago. Now, a relatively remodelled French side is aiming for another shot at a major title.

“We have the opportunity to make a mark in the history of French football,” Lloris said. “We are closer to our goal, but we know it’s getting more and more difficult. The opposition tomorrow will be even stronger than our previous opponents.

“There is a good mix: we have experienced players, and especially this new generation, it has incredible potential. We do not know their limits at the moment. We’re trying to use anything that’s positive inside this team so we can go beyond our limits and try to grab what is the most beautiful thing in football. As I said before, it’s going to be an important step for all of our careers.”

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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

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Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

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Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%203%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Einer%20Rubio%20(COL)%20Movistar%20Team%20-%204h51%E2%80%9924%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%20-%2014%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Adam%20Yates%20(GBR)%20UAE%20Team%20Emirates%20-%2015%22%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classifications%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders)%20-%207%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20-%2011%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

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Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines

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Favourite Author: My father for sure

Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst

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Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
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Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

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