The routes taken by France and Mali to the semi-finals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup have been markedly different. While the progress of Les Bleuets has been built on a solid defence, which is still to be breached after five games, opponents Mali have their blistering attack and intensity of play to thank for their place in the last four.

Simplistic as it may be to reduce Tuesday’s meeting to a confrontation between fire and water, given both teams have undoubted quality in every aspect of the game, this theme dominated the questions in the pre-match press conference with France coach Jean-Luc Vannuchi and his Mali counterpart Soumaila Coulibaly, who were accompanied by Bleuets defender Arthur Tchaptchet and Aigles captain Ibrahim Diarra.