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All eyes on Zidane and Figo

World champions France and Euro 2000 outsiders Portugal meet in the semi-final in Brussels tomorrow in a rematch of their famous 1984 last four meeting in the same competition.

Two of the most impressive midfields in the football world test themselves against each other on the biggest international stage since the 1998 World Cup. For Portugal it is a chance to reach their first major final in the senior game.

Although currently European champions at under-16 and under-18 level, Portugal's senior side, which reached the 1966 World Cup semi-finals in England, thanks to goals from Eusebio, as well as the Euro 84 last four, have never reached a final in European or world competitions at senior level.

France, of course, have reached two finals, winning both the 1984 Euro final and the 1998 World Cup final but nearly came unstuck in their Euro 2000 quarter-final match with Spain.

French 'keeper Fabien Barthez survived a last-gasp penalty in Bruges, Belgium, on Sunday when Spain's Raul hit the ball over the crossbar to keep the scoreline at 2-1 and book France's last four berth.

Portugal's qualification was a little easier when Turkey were reduced to 10 men and 'keeper Vitor Baia made a spectacular penalty stop, both right at the end of the first half.

A double score by youngster Nuno Gomes, who came of age as an international striker after previous lacklustre performances, earned the 2-0 victory at the Amsterdam Arena on Saturday.

But now both teams can concentrate on the semifinals.

Portugal left back Dimas said during yesterday's post-training press conference that France had a superb midfield.

"Zinedine Zidane is the best number 10 in the world," Dimas said, which was a high compliment and an indirect inference that he was better than Portugal playmaker and number 10 Rui Costa.

Dimas used to play with Zidane at Juventus before joining his current club Standard Liege via a spell in Turkey.

"Zidane is a very good friend of mine and someone I respect as a player but outside football he also has a fantastic mentality," Dimas said. "I can't really say how the battle with him and Luis Figo will go because they have different styles.

"Both of them are exceptional players but I think the match is going to be 11 versus 11 and not one against one."

Meanwhile Gomes said it would be a tough game for Portugal's strikers. "It will be a tough game for us because they have beautiful defenders and they are the world champions," Gomes said. "But we must play this game like it was just one of the others."

The Benfica striker did not believe it was a revenge game for their 1984 clash which France won 3-2 with a goal by Michel Platini after Portugal led 2-1 in extra-time.

"I don't think it's a revenge match but we know supporters back home want to win this game because of the 1984 match. We want to win, not because of that game, but because of the chance to get into the final," he added.