Belgium survived a late surge from France to claim a 4-3 win over their neighbours in a friendly at Stade de France this evening.
A first-half brace from Marouane Fellaini put the visitors ahead, before Eden Hazard and Radji Nainggolan extended the lead to 4-1.
Nabil Fekir and Dimitri Payet both scored in the last three minutes to close the gap, but the home side ran out of time as they pushed for an equaliser.
Read how all the action unfolded below.
7.02pmGood evening! It's just under an hour until kickoff at Stade de France where the home side will be taking on the side currently ranked second in the world. Both sides have already announced that starting lineups, so let's take a look at the team news...
7.03pmFRANCE STARTING XI: Lloris, Sagna, Varane, Koscielny, Tremoulinas, Cabaye, Sissoko, Matuidi, Valbuena, Giroud, Griezmann
7.05pmBELGIUM STARTING XI: Courtois, Alderweireld, Denayer, Lombaerts, Vertonghen, Nainggolan, Witsel, Fellaini, Mertens, Benteke, Hazard
7.08pmIt's an experienced lineup for the hosts, with Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann leading the attack for France, while Tottenham's Hugo Lloris captain's the side. Paul-Georges Ntep is the only uncapped player in the current squad, but he's not named in the first XI this evening.
7.11pmFor the visitors, Manchester City defender Jason Denayer, who spent last season on loan with Celtic, makes his first start, having earned his first cap after coming off the bench in their last match. Chelsea's Eden Hazard wears the captain's armband in an attacking lineup that also features Marouane Fellaini and Christian Benteke.
7.14pmFrance coach Didier Deschamps said at his pre-match press conference: "This is a good test for us. Belgium have excellent players.When I look at their bench, I am impressed. I think Belgium will be among the favourites for Euro 2016."
7.16pmHazard captain's Belgium because Vincent Kompany is suspended, having been sent off against Israel earlier this year. This evening's skipper told Belgian TV channel RTBF: "Everyone in the team wants [Wilmots] to stay because everyone gets on well with him. He has taken the team to a very good level."
7.19pmKompany's absence aside, Belgium are more or less at full strength for this evening's match. France are missing a couple of their regulars though, with Patrice Evra and Paul Pogba not featuring today because of their involvement in last night's Champions League final, while Karim Benzema misses out with an injury.
7.22pmWilmots's future with Belgium is in doubt because of Roberto di Matteo's departure from Schalke at the end of the Bundesliga season. The Belgian national has been linked with the vacancy, and will make an announcement regarding his future after the trip to Cardiff next Friday.
7.25pmBelgium and France play each other quite regularly in friendly. They last two meetings, in 2011 and 2013, both ended goalless. Belgium have won just once in their last nine meetings with their neighbours, securing a 2-1 win in a friendly in 2002, in which Wilmots scored for Belgium. It's not a fixture that's produced a great number of goals in recent years, but previous meetings have included 5-0 and 6-3 wins for tonight's hosts.
7.29pmThe players have been out for their pre-match warmups in a sunny Stade de France, which is filling up nicely as kickoff approaches:
Entrée des @BelRedDevils pour l'échauffement devant leurs supporters #FRABEL pic.twitter.com/kzErUcsn1n
— Stade de France (@StadeFrance) June 7, 20157.32pmAs we've already mentioned, France don't have to go through qualifying for Euro 2016 as they're hosting the tournament. They've got plenty of friendlies arranged for the rest of the year to keep them sharp though, as they travel to Albania next week, and will also face Portugal, Germany, England, Denmark and Serbia, plus several others because the end of 2015.
7.35pmVincent Kompany may not be able to play tonight, but he's still at the match supporting his teammates:
Thanks for coming Vince. That's what we call #TousEnsemble !! #frabel pic.twitter.com/YQ5VYyX7cF
— BelgianRedDevils (@BelRedDevils) June 7, 20157.38pmBelgium are unbeaten in their Euro 2016 qualifier so far, with three wins and two draws from their first five outings. Their results leave them at the top of the table, level on points with Wales, but with a better goal difference. The top two sides in the table will go to France next year, so a win in Cardiff next Friday could be crucial for Wilmots's squad.
7.42pmHaving already taken a look at the starting lineups, here are some of the names that could feature off the benches this evening. Paul-Georges Ntep could come on for France to make his international debut, while the prolific Alexandre Lacazette is also an option. The visitors have plenty of familiar names among their substitutes, including Everton's Romelu Lukaku, Lille's on-loan striker Divock Origi and Spurs' Nacer Chadli. Belgium's squad is impressively deep, and one of the main reason's they've climbed up to second in FIFA's world rankings.
7.46pmThe sun at Stade de France could make it a little tricky for one of the keepers in the first half as the sun starts to set in Paris. The good news though is that it's not due to rain tonight, and there's next to no wind, so dazzling aside the weather shouldn't be too much of a concern for either side.
7.50pmPREDICTION! The players should be making their way out of the tunnel in the next couple of minutes, so let's make a prediction. Belgium start as favourites, and have more riding on the match because of their need to maintain their form for qualifying. France won't want to lose to their neighbours though, and will have the crowd on their side. I'm going for a 2-2 draw this evening.
7.53pmThe players make their way out ready for kickoff. As it's an international, the anthems from both countries will be played before kickoff.
7.56pmWhile the pre-match formalities take place, here's a sample of the pre-kickoff atmosphere:
C'est parti pour la présentation des joueurs de l'@equipedefrance #FRABEL pic.twitter.com/nFB2DUgyc6
— Stade de France (@StadeFrance) June 7, 20157.58pmRight then, the players are lining themselves ready for the action to get underway.
1 minKICKOFF! Belgium get the match underway!
3 minBelgium are dominating possession in the opening couple of minutes, with Fellaini and Alderweireld trying to play the ball though the middle for the visitors. Sagna manages to head it clear of the back, but only as far as Witsel, who quickly launches the visitors back on the counter, but Tremoulinas forces a foul from Dries Mertens.
5 minAlderweireld seems to be playing a more attacking role than he tends to with Southampton, partnering Fellaini in the middle. Getting forward leaves a gap at the back though, which Sissoko makes the most of, charging behind Fellaini before playing the through-ball in for Olivier Giroud but the striker couldn't reach it in time. As strong as Belgium have looked early on, they were stretched by France's pace then.
7 minTremoulinas makes an excellent run out from the back for the home side before attempting to cross the ball in for Giroud, but his run forward was much better than the cross, as the ball ends up going harmlessly behind.
9 minBlaise Matuidi bursts forward as he tries to get in position to cross the ball in for the home side, but Jason Denayer closes him down and forces him to put it behind for a goal kick. Belgium may have made the better start in the opening couple of minutes, but France have started to look the more attacking in the last couple of minutes.
12 minTremoulinas and Matuidi try to make their way down the left again, but Mertens manages to halt the defender's charge. Valbuena finds space on the opposite flank though, and provides a stunning cross, but Giroud clearly wasn't expecting it and stopped his run early, leaving the chance going begging.
13 minThe home side have the first corner of the match, and Sissoko rises up highest to try to head it in. He's too closely marked though, leaving Alderweireld to hook it clear for Belgium.
15 minTremoulinas gets the better of Nainggolan in midfield, allowing him to curl in yet another dangerous ball from out wide. Belgium are really struggling to halt the France charge down the wings at the moment. The bal is turned behind for a corner, but the visitors manage to get it clear.
16 minFor the first time since the opening couple of minutes, Belgium manage to get back down the other end, with Alderweireld forcing Koscielny to concede the first corner of the night for the visitors.
17 minGOAL! France 0-1 Belgium (Marouane Fellaini)
17 minBelgium make the most of their first corner of the night, opening the scoring at Stade de France. Fellaini wins the initial header, but Koscielny gets it away. It's only as far as Radja Nainggolan though, and the Roma midfielder stabs it back in towards the Manchester United man, who was unmarked near the spot, leaving him with a simple tap in.
19 minThe French players aren't happy. Even as the action gets back underway following the restart they're still in the referee's ear, suggesting that Fellaini may have been offside as Nainggolan played the ball back in. He did seem to open up a lot of space in next to no time, but the assistant seemed to think he was level, so the goal stands.
21 minCHANCE! France are pressing for a quick equaliser as Matuidi finds Griezmann on the edge of the box. He tries to drill it in low, but it's deflected behind for a corner. Benteke is back to help out in defence though, and heads it behind.
23 minCHANCE! France have another corner, which Griezmann controls on the edge of the box before hooking it towards Sagna, but the defender can't prevent it going behind for a goal kick. Incidentally, we've just had another look at the goal, and it does appear that France have a case, Fellaini was definitely a yard or two offside, as was Witsel.
25 minCabaye has been pretty quiet so far, but he manages to link up with Sagna in midfield to try to get France on the attack against, but Valuena fouls Nainggolan, giving the ball back to the visitors.
27 minCHANCE! Hugo Lloris pulls off a superb save to stop Belgium extending their lead to two. Witsel crosses the ball in from the right, picking out the head of Benteke, but his header is kept out by the fingertips of the French keeper.
30 minTremoulinas goes in both feet off the ground, with his studs up on Dries Mertens, leaving Belgium striker in quite a lot of pain. Despite the nature of the challenge, the referee keeps his cards in his pocket and just awards the free kick. Hazard curls it in, but a shirt pull by Vertonghen hands possession straight by to the home side. Tremoulinas has been excellent so far, but he lost his head then, and is a little lucky to still be on the pitch.
31 minMertens has been off the pitch for a couple of minutes receiving treatment as a result of the challenge from Tremoulinas, but he manages to return after some treatment. Hazard has been fairly quiet so far, but he weaves his way down the left as Belgium continue to push for a second goal.
32 minCHANCE! France are knocking on the door as Sagna looks for a rare goal with a low strike from the edge of the box. It's blocked, but only as far as Griezmann, but he can't get his shot away either, eventually leaving Witsel to clear the danger.
33 minBenteke heads a high ball forward into the path of Fellaini, who quickly flicks it back to the striker, but his first touch is lacking, and it ends up going harmlessly behind.
35 minCHANCE! Griezmann is working hard on the right-hand side of the box to keep the ball in play, and manages to get a cross in from a tight angle for Giroud, who weaves excellently towards the goal, only to find Jason Denayer back on the line to block his header.
37 minA few rather heavy challenges have started to fly in in the last few minutes or so. As well as the rash Tremoulinas two-footer, Sagna has just caught Hazard in the back of the head with a flailing arm, while Sissoko and Vertonghen have also had a coming together.
39 minDenayer sprints out from the back as Belgium try to catch for home side out with a sudden burst of pace. Fellaini takes it up, slotting it forward for Mertens, but the striker is forced behind. Denayer certainly doesn't look like a teenager making his first international start, he's showing the confidence and intelligence of a veteran!
40 minNainggolan and Matuidi clash on the edge of the box, resulting in a free kick for the hosts. Valbuena tries to drill it in, but it ends up coming behind for a corner. Valbuena takes it short, leaving Tremoulinas to send a high ball in for Giroud, but Courtois gets to it first.
41 minBOOKING! The rather lenient referee finally has to get his cards out as Yohan Cabaye puts in a last-man challenge from behind on Eden Hazard. He's still 40 yards out, so the referee just gives the France man a booking rather than a red. In a competitive fixture rather than a friendly, that would probably have been a sending off.
42 minGOAL! France 0-2 Belgium (Marouane Fellaini)
42 minIt's a textbook Marouane Fellaini header just before half time to double Belgium's lead. From the free kick, Alderweireld gets the ball on the right flank, and hits a superb curling ball into the box for the midfielder, leaving him to rise highest inside the six-yard box, leaving Lloris no chance on the France goal. The first one was offside, but there was nothing wrong with that finish from Fellaini.
45 minFrance quickly force a corner down the other end which Belgium struggle to clear. Valbuena and Griezmann both try to get the shot away, but Witsel and Benteke are both in the right place at the right time to make a couple of blocks.
45+1 minHALF TIME: France 0-2 Belgium
8.47pmSo at the interval, two goals from Marouane Fellaini have put visitors Belgium 2-0 up at Stade de France.
8.50pmThe hosts won't be happy with the scoreline. They dominated at times and have shown plenty of pace and determination going forward, but their finishing touch has been lacking. They're lucky to still have 11 players on the pitch though, as Benoit Tremoulinas and Yohan Cabaye could easily have both seen red for some rather unnecessary tackling towards the end of the first period. That's resulted in some retaliation from Belgium, with Radja Nainggolan and Dries Mertens both committing fouls in the final couple of minutes.
8.53pmHere are some of the stats from the opening 45 minutes. France had slightly more possession with 56%, and have seven shots, three more than their opponents. Three of Belgium's efforts have been on target though, two of which resulted in goals, while France are yet to force a save from Thibaut Courtois.
8.56pmFellaini's efforts in front of goal this afternoon leaves the midfielder with five goals from his last three international appearances. France will certainly feel aggrieved when they see the first one again, as he was well offside. There was little they could have done about the second though, as it was a truly flawless cross from Alderweireld to leave Fellaini with a simple header.
8.58pmThere's better news for France's Under-20s this evening, as they have beaten Morocco in the final of the Toulon Tournament.
9.01pmThe players are lined up the tunel ready for the start of the second half. There's a monitor there, and they're watching back highlights from the first half, and they realise that Fellaini's first goal was offside, and that Tremoulinas should have been sent off.
9.03pmSUBS! France are making a double change, with Alexandre Lacazette and Dimitri Payet taking the places of Yohan Cabaye and Antoine Griezmann.
46 minRESTART! France get the action back underway.
48 minNo sooner has the action got underway than it's halted again as a fan finds his way onto the pitch. France have the ball once the invader is led away, with SAgna and Koscielny passing it around the back, but neither side have threatened to add to the scoreline since the restart.
49 minFrance manage to get forward, with Valbuena trying to shake off Denayer, but the young defender does enough to allow Courtois to rush out and claim the ball.
49 minCHANCE! Payet has had a decent impact in his first couple of minutes as he crosses the ball in for Giroud, and the Arsenal man takes a touch on the edge of the box before unleashing a powerful strike, but Courtois makes a diving save to keep it out. That's France's first shot on target.
50 minGOAL! France 0-3 Belgium (Radja Nainggolan)
50 minNo sooner have France forced a save from Courtois for the first time than Belgium have gone straight down the other end and extended their lead. Radja Nainggolan picks up the ball outside the box, taking a touch to move inside before firing a swerving effort from the right of the box into the bottom left corner. Lloris is at full stretch as he tried to make the save, but he just couldn't reach it in time.
52 minPENALTY TO FRANCE!
52 minNicolas Lombaerts has a handful of Olivier Giroud's shirt as he pulls the striker to the ground, giving the home side a spot kick.
53 minGOAL! France 1-3 Belgium (Mathieu Valbuena PEN.)
54 minPENALTY TO BELGIUM!
54 minGOAL! France 1-4 Belgium (Eden Hazard PEN.)
54 minWell that was an eventful couple of minutes! Mathieu Valbuena dispatches his spot kick perfectly, slotting it into the bottom right beyond Courtois. Koscielny drags down Fellaini down the other end just moments later, allowing Eden Hazard to step up and restore Belgium's three-goal cushion. The Giroud penalty was an interesting one, and Lombaerts did have a hold of his shirt, but the France striker was tugging at the defender's top too, but the referee ruled that it was the Belgium man at fault.
57 minSince the Hazard penalty it's been all France, with Sagna and Giroud both trying to get forward and cut Belgium's lead again. Payet has also been busy since coming on at half time. It certainly looks like France haven't given up yet, despite being three goals down.
60 minSUBS! Belgium make a couple of changes as Christian Benteke and Dries Mertens are replaced by Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Romelu Lukaku. It's pretty much a straight swap for both players.
62 minCHANCE! The newly-introduced Belgian pair almost have an immediate impact as Ferreira-Carrasco charges down the right before sliding a low ball in towards Lukaku, but the Everton striker doesn't quite get his boot to it in time. The slightest contact would surely have made that five for Belgium.
63 minOFF THE BAR! Romelu Lukaku definitely looks like he's keen to get among the goals as he has another chance just a few minutes after coming on. The striker smashes it first time from near the penalty spot, trying to send it into the roof of the net on the turn, but it comes off the underside of the bar.
66 minHazard is brought down just outside the box, leaving the visitors with a free kick in a dangerous position. Ferreira-Carrasco blasts it in, but his delivery fails to connect with any of his teammates before whistling past the post.
68 minFrance get forward again as Varane crosses in for Giroud. Alderweireld is there to get it away, but it doesn't take the home side long to win the ball back and come again, with Lacazette trying to weave through the middle, before Valbuena is brought down on the edge of the box, and it looks like the winger is in some pain.
69 minIt's Lombaerts who brought the midfielder down, but he caught a knee from Vertonghen in the head on the way down. Either way, it gives the hosts a free kick on the edge of the box, but Payet's shot is blocked by the wall.
71 minCHANCE! Lacazette tries to catch Courtois out with a curling effort from the left-hand side of the box, but the Belgium keeper watches it all the way to claim it on the line.
72 minCHANCE! Tremoulinas makes another impressive run forward, cutting inside from the left flank before looking for Giroud, but the striker's header is just over.
73 minSUB! Nabil Fekir takes the place of Valbuena, who may be going off as a result of the head injury he sustained a couple of minutes ago.
76 minFrance force the first corner of the second half, but they can't make the most of it as Lombaerts manages to boot it away for the visitors. Belgium seem to have eased off a little in the last 10 minutes, but with a three-goal cushion they really can afford to.
76 minFellaini wins possession back for Belgium before quickly passing to Witsel, but the midfielder isn't expecting it and gives it straight back to the home side, but Nainggolan manages to rescue the situation and blast it clear.
78 minSUB! There won't be a hat-trick for Fellaini this evening as he's heading off, with Nacer Chadli coming on for the last 10 minutes or so.
79 minChadli's fresh legs immediately test the weary French defenders as he runs through the middle, but he keeps it too long, failing to spot Lukaku in space and allowing France to close in.
80 minCHANCE! Giroud makes an excellent run into the box before controlling the ball well, but the finishing touch is lacking, as he slices it well wide.
80 minSUB! That's all from Giroud tonight as Paul-Georges Ntep comes on to make his international debut. This probably isn't the scoreline the Rennes forward was hoping for on his first international appearance!
81 minSUB! The changes are coming thick and fast now as Axel Witsel makes way for Mousa Dembele for the visitors.
83 minPayet rounds a couple of defenders on the right before trying to slip the ball in for Fekir, but the substitute is being too closely marked. It looks like Belgium are content to coast towards the full-time whistle now. If it finished 4-1, this will be France's heaviest defeat at home since losing 4-0 to Poland in 1982!
84 minCHANCE! Lacazette flicks the ball on from a free kick, forcing a save from Courtois. The keeper can only parry it to Varane though, whose effort it turned behind for a corner.
85 minCHANCE! Belgium clear the corner quickly, and immeidately charge down the other end, forcing Tremoulinas to turn Chadli's effort behind.
86 minSUB! 20-year-old Leander Dendoncker comes on for his first Belgium appearance, replacing Denayer.
88 minPaul-Georges Ntep tries to set up a late consolation for the home side, but his path is blocked as he gets to the edge of the box, and the ball goes behind for a corner. That comes to nothing, but the debutante is soon flying down the left again, sending in an excellent low cross for Lacazette, but his shot is straight at Courtois. It's been a bright cameo by the Rennes striker.
89 minNtep is causing all sorts of problems late on for France as he forces a slip from Alderweireld inside the box before attempting to curl the ball in, but his finish is blocked.
89 minGOAL! France 2-4 Belgium (Nabil Fekir)
89 minNabil Fekir nets his first international goal for France after another impressive bit of work from Paul-Georges Ntep. The debuatante rounds Alderweireld again before chipping the ball forward for Fekir, who stabbed the ball past Courtois from just a yard or so out.
90 minFrance are on the attack again as the match heads into three minutes of stoppage time. Varane looks to set something up down the right flank, setting up Sissoko for a cross.
90+1 minGOAL! France 3-4 Belgium (Dimitri Payet)
90+1 minThe unlikeliest of comebacks is on as Dimitri Payet fires in his first international goal just moments after Fekir's. Sissoko's cross fell kindly for the striker, and he hit is sweetly at the first time of asking, sending Courtois the wrong way. The Stade de France is absolutely rocking now!
90+3 minCHANCE! Ntep almost gets France back on level terms as he curls the ball towards goal from the edge of the box. It takes a deflection off Dendoncker, but Courtois realises and manages to change direction and make the stop.
90+4 minFULL TIME: France 3-4 Belgium
9.54pmIt was a spirited late display by France to make the scoreline respectable, but there was to be no late equaliser for the home side. Belgium dominated for much of the match, but switched off far too soon to let it a couple of late goals.
9.55pmDespite the defeat, there are a couple of positives for France, as Dimitri Payer and Nabil Fekir both scoring their first international goals, and Paul-Georges Ntep putting in a brilliant late cameo on his international debut. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him given a longer spell against Algeria next week.
9.56pmWell, that's all from this match, but why not switch over to our coverage of Brazil's Copa America warm-up against Mexico. Thanks for joining me this evening. Goodbye.
