On Tuesday, France became the first side to advance to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final after defeating Belgium 1-0. This is the third World Cup final for the French side, who won their only title in 1998.
France -- who started the tournament finishing at the top of Group C's table, later beating Lionel Messi's Argentina 4-3 in the Round of 16 and Uruguay 2-0 in the quarterfinals -- benefited from a corner kick in the 51st minute that led to a header by Samuel Umtiti. Belgium was unable to provide a response despite holding on to 60 percent of possession.
The stage is now set for Wednesday's semifinals between England and Croatia (1 PM CT) to determine who will play against France. Croatia has never reached the final, while England triumphed at the World Cup once in 1966.
The Fire has a home game against Philadelphia Union on Wednesday, but Fire midfielder Mo Adams will keep in mind the World Cup match. Over the weekend, when England defeated Sweden 2-0 in the quarterfinals, Adams repeatedly tweeted his excitement.
As the tournament reaches its final three games, fans are not only starting to wonder about who will bring home the World Cup trophy, but who will take home the tournament's five other awards.
Up for grabs are the Golden Boot Award (most goals scored), Golden Ball Award (best player), Golden Glove Award (best goalkeeper), Fair Play Award (best disciplinary record) and the Young Player Award. England's Harry Kane currently looks set to take home the Golden Boot Award with six goals, but France's Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe are lurking with three apiece.
Follow the Chicago Fire World Cup Central as the tournament reaches the final stages for more news and features. Before it's too late, join in the fun at Watch Party opportunities across Chicago. Otherwise, stay tuned to the Fire social media hub for more updates.
