"A World Cup won over the English would have more relish" confessed the French football-specialised magazine So Foot few hours before the second semifinal.
The dreamed clash between the old rivals which love loathing each other won't take place however, after the Three Lions were defeated by Croatia.
In tomorrow's print edition, L'Equipe runs as a headline "The revenants". The popular French sports newspaper believed England got over the hump against bushed Croatians. With this third extra-time played in 12 days, "the Kings of the extra-time" have played the equivalent of one more match than France (90 minutes) points out L'Equipe points.
The tiredness accumulated isn't the only good news according to the newspaper. Former footballer Johan Micoud thinks Croatia is more equipped than England to face France, a team which excels on the counter-attack.