Roberto Martinez says Belgium must 'regroup' for one final game to try and clinch World Cup bronze

Manager says hard to rally players following semi-final defeat to France, but that finishing third in the World Cup 'doesn't happen often'

Belgium and France line up prior to the match. Getty Images

France's Samuel Umtiti heads the ball to score the opening goal. AP Photo

France's Samuel Umtiti header flies towards Belgium's Thibaut Courtois' goal to make it 1-0 to France. Reuters

Belgium's Thibaut Courtois can only watch as the ball hits the back of the net. AP Photo

France's Samuel Umtiti celebrates scoring the opening goal. Reuters

France's Samuel Umtiti celebrates with teammate Olivier Giroud after scoring his team's first goal. Getty Images

President of France Emmanuel Macron celebrates as King Philippe of Belgium looks on. Reuters

Belgium's Thibaut Courtois in action with France's Olivier Giroud. EPA

France's Hugo Lloris makes a save. Reuters

France's Kylian Mbappe in action. Getty Images

France's Antoine Griezmann and Hugo Lloris celebrate after winning the game 1-0. EPA

Belgium assistant coach, and former France striker, Thierry Henry congratulates France's Kylian Mbappe on his side's triumph. AP Photo

Dejected Belgium players after the final whistle. AP Photo

Belgium's Toby Alderweireld looks on while France celebrate their win. Getty Images

France fans celebrate outside the stadium in St. Petersburg. Reuters

Belgium are determined to finish third in the World Cup to go some way to making up for the disappointment of exiting at the semi-final stage, according to manager Roberto Martinez.

The Belgians were beaten 1-0 by France in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday, unable to come back from Samuel Umtiti's header from a corner six minutes into the second half.

Never quite at their best, Belgium will have to pick themselves up for Saturday’s play-off for bronze when they will meet the loser of Wednesday’s semi-final between England and Croatia.

Win that encounter – the Saint Petersburg Stadium will again play host – and Belgium would record their best result at a World Cup, surpassing the previous mark set some 32 years ago.

“The disappointment is huge,” Martinez told reporters afterwards. “It’s a very sad dressing room right now. I don’t want any of my players to be frustrated and disappointed. It’s a difficult emotion to manage: you’re disappointed because you lose the semi-final, and it’s very difficult to see the opportunity of playing another game as a positive.

“We need to regroup and recover and see the opportunity. To try to finish third in the World Cup doesn’t happen often. The only time it happened in Belgian football was in 1986, when we finished fourth.

“We need to understand it’s an important game, but I accept it’s very difficult after a game with the emotions we had today. When you had the ambition of getting to the final, it’s tough individually and collectively to prepare for the next game.”

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Against France, Martinez tweaked his line-up slightly from the one that defeated Brazil 2-1 in the quarter-final. With Thomas Meunier suspended, Mousa Dembele came into midfield, with Nacer Chadli shifting to the right flank.

Dembele endured a difficult evening before being substituted not long in the second half, while Kevin de Bruyne did not exert his usual control until he was moved into a more central role. For the most part, striker Romelu Lukaku was deprived of service.

“I didn’t see France running away with the game,” Martinez said. “It came down to a corner kick. That’s why I don’t think the performance came down to individuals.

“It was a tight game. There weren’t many big moments ... the difference between defeat and winning was just one dead-ball situation. We controlled their counter-attacks. We had the ball, but have to give credit to the way France defended, and we couldn’t find that little bit of magic in front of goal.”