Gareth Southgate’s team were unable to bounce back from the despair of Wednesday’s extra-time loss against Croatia in the semi-final in Moscow – but this still represents a highly creditable tournament for England.

Thomas Meunier put Belgium ahead after just four minutes when he slid in ahead of Danny Rose to divert Nacer Chadli’s cross past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

England had chances to level in the second half as Toby Alderweireld cleared off the line from Eric Dier, while Harry Maguire also headed wide from a good position.

Eden Hazard wrapped it up for Belgium with eight minutes left when he got the better of Phil Jones to beat Pickford, who had just saved magnificently from Meunier, with an powerful finish.

Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku missed two chances and was substituted without scoring, leaving England captain Harry Kane in pole position to win the World Cup’s Golden Boot with six goals.

Kane will collect the award barring remarkable deeds from France duo Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe, who are on three goals apiece, in Sunday’s final against Croatia in Moscow (kick-off 16:00 BST).

Southgate made five changes to the team beaten by Croatia – but there was still a clear determination to secure their best result at this tournament since 1966.

And with Belgium counterpart Roberto Martinez adopting the same approach, it made for an entertaining play-off in this magnificent arena in St Petersburg.

It would have been easy for England’s heads to drop after defensive sloppiness from Danny Rose – who allowed Meunier to slide in on his blind side – led to them falling behind so early.

England, as others have before them, struggled to cope with the variety of Belgium’s attack, but their attitude was once again commendable and they had chances to pull the game level before Hazard snuffed out their hopes.

Dier’s clever chip was miraculously cleared off the line by Alderweireld, before he and Harry Maguire headed wide from good positions as England pressed.

This is a fixture regarded as an unwanted intrusion for teams who have suffered the despair of a World Cup semi-final defeat, but Belgium and England made it competitive.

It was, in some respects, a game too far for England after the disappointment of Wednesday’s loss to Croatia – but to go home having finished fourth at this spectacular World Cup in Russia is no disgrace.

England defender John Stones, apart from one lapse that let Mario Mandzukic in for Croatia’s winner in Moscow on Wednesday, has had a magnificent World Cup.

And he ended it with a flawless performance in St Petersburg, doing more than anyone to keep Belgium’s outstanding attack at bay.

Stones produced a standout moment in the first half when he retreated in the face of Lukaku running at him, biding his time before making a perfect tackle.

He was the barrier on countless occasions and even got a handshake from his Manchester City team-mate De Bruyne for one late interception.

Stones’ ability to play out from the back and his cultured style are integral to Southgate’s future plans – and he has performed in this tournament in exactly the manner his most fervent admirers hoped he would.

Belgium’s delight at a third-place finish – their best at a World Cup – was obvious in the manner in which Martinez and his assistant Thierry Henry celebrated with their players at full-time.

It meant a lot – although it could have been even better after beating Brazil in the quarter-finals only to then lose to France in the last four.

However, Martinez has a truly outstanding squad at his disposal and there is every chance they will now get stronger having gained stature here.

Any squad that boasts the attacking firepower they have in De Bruyne, Hazard and Lukaku, as well as their strength of squad elsewhere, is a force to be reckoned with – and this may be only the start of Belgium’s story as a rising football force.

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The European neighbours meet in Tuesday’s first semi-final in Saint Petersburg for the right to play England or Croatia in Sunday’s showpiece in Moscow.

Former Arsenal and Barcelona forward Henry, who was part of the squad that won the World Cup on home soil 20 years ago, is now alongside Belgium coach Roberto Martinez and eyeing the chinks in France’s armour.

“It will be bizarre to have him up against us,” said France striker Olivier Giroud. “He is a living legend of French football.

“He has given so much to the France team and we have got a lot of respect for what he has done. But we’re not thinking about it too much, we’re going to be focused on the pitch and our game.”

A slick Belgium side boasting the talents of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku are the only team to have won all their matches in Russia and are the top scorers, with 14 goals.

Confidence is sky-high after they ousted Neymar’s Brazil in the quarter-finals but they will come up against formidable opponents in France as they try to reach a first ever World Cup final.

Didier Deschamps’ side, with Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe up front, struggled for goals in their group matches but have now hit their stride, dominating Uruguay after beating Argentina.

France will start the semi-final in Saint Petersburg as favourites, with an impressive mix of youth and experience allied to tournament nous after they reached the Euro 2016 final.

With Hugo Lloris impressing in goal and a solid midfield of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, the one potential weakness for France could be their inexperienced defence.

Belgium’s Thomas Meunier will miss the game after picking up a second yellow card but France will be buoyed by the return of defensive midfielder Blaise Matuidi, after sitting out a suspension of his own.

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Roberto Martinez’s side were trailing 2-0 when he brought on Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli in the 65th minute, and Fellaini scored the equaliser before Chadli netted a 94th-minute winner.

They now face Brazil in the last eight on Friday.

Japan looked on their way to a famous win in Rostov after Genki Haraguchi ran onto Gaku Shibasaki’s long ball, which Jan Vertonghen should have cut out, to open the scoring.

Takashi Inui’s 25-yard strike made it 2-0 and looked set to take the Asian side to their first ever quarter-finals.

Belgium’s Premier League stars – their golden generation – had put in a disappointing performance and Martinez turned to the oft-ridiculed Fellaini and West Brom winger Chadli in his hour of need.

Their fortunes changed after that as Vertonghen scored a looping header to get them back into the game.

Fellaini then headed in Hazard’s cross to level before Chadli converted Thomas Meunier’s pass to finish off a flowing move and help the Red Devils avoid being the latest victims of a World Cup of shocks.

Belgium become the first team to fight back from two goals down to win a World Cup knockout game since Germany against England in 1970.

Belgium clearly have the players – Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Courtois are some of the Premier League’s undoubted stars. They are now unbeaten in 23 games, but there are always questions about whether they are tactically astute.

Martinez and his players will feel they have gone some way to answering those, and finding a real winning touch, having looked dead and buried after an hour.

Chelsea winger Hazard had hit the post in one their few good chances in the opening 60 minutes.

But they ground their way back into the game – even though the goal to give them hope was a bit of a fluke. Inui booted the ball up into the air and Vertonghen’s looping header flew over keeper Eiji Kawashima, who should have done better.

At 20 yards, it is the longest headed goal since those stats were first recorded in 1966.

Then the substitutes came to the fore. Fellaini, who signed a new Manchester United deal last week, powered in Hazard’s centre to level the scores after 74 minutes.

And the winner was a real team effort. Goalkeeper Courtois rolled the ball to De Bruyne, who had been quiet for 90 minutes but exploded into life when his country needed him.

The Manchester City playmaker carried the ball 60 yards before feeding Meunier, his cross was stepped over by Lukaku, and Chadli was on hand to steer it home.

Lukaku had scored 17 goals in his previous 11 Belgium games but his decision to not shoot on this occasion might prove more crucial than any of those.

Belgium will feel a huge amount of spirit building after this fightback – and also the fact that their last defeat was Martinez’s first game in charge, against Spain in September 2016.

Their last two tournaments – the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016 – have both come to an end at the quarter-final stage. The Red Devils, who have never won a major tournament, will be desperate to go at least one step further this time – but there is one huge problem…

Their next game is against the favourites to win the tournament, five-time champions Brazil, on Friday in Kazan. The winner of that game faces either 1998 kings France or two-time winners Uruguay for a place in the final.

They will not need reminding that if they had lost to England in the final group game, instead of beating them, no World Cup winners would have stood between them and the final.

Japan have taken big gambles in the past few months and after an hour in Rostov, it looked like they were paying off in style.

First they sacked head coach Vahid Halilhodzic and replaced him with Akira Nishino two months before the tournament started.

And then they controversially sat back in order to maintain a 1-0 deficit in their defeat by Poland in their final group game – even though a goal elsewhere could have knocked them out.

And it looked as if the Blue Samurai were going to become only the third Asian nation – after South Korea in 2002 and North Korea in 1966 – to reach the World Cup quarter-finals when they deservedly took the lead.

Haraguchi kept his composure to shoot across Courtois and give them the lead and then the impressive Inui blasted in a long-range second to put them in control.

In truth, they did not have a host of chances – with only four shots on target in total – and all the momentum had deserted them by the time Chadli placed the ball past Kawashima with seconds remaining.

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Henry, 39, is widely considered as the best striker to have played for the Gunners and holds the record with 228 goals in all competitions, after eight trophy-laden years with the English giants.

Wenger’s tactics have been called into question in recent months after losing four of their last five league matches and exiting the Champions League round of 16 at the hands of Bayern Munich.

The Frenchman is out of contract this summer, and it remains to be seen if he will sign an extension or leave the club.

Henry, who currently serves as assistant coach to Roberto Martinez with the Belgium national team dropped a subtle hint that he would “love” to coach Arsenal.

“When I say that I want to train them, yes it’s the club in my heart, but that doesn’t mean that you have an automatic right to it,” Henry told Canal Plus.

“My name is quoted to succeed Wenger, I hear that. But it’s hard for me to talk about it I have a lot of respect for everything the coach has done.

“Am I ready? I don’t know and nobody knows, but I also need to learn my job.”

“I will not be a consultant all my life, but coaching is not my aim,” added Henry, who works alongside Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez.

“I have not fixed any goal in the head, I will love it (being a coach) and I will do everything for it. But, right now, I’m in learning mode.”

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It appeared that the Toffees were to give the Gunners’ title aspirations an early-season reality check as they took charge of the game with first half goals from Seamus Coleman and Steven Naismith.

Just as on their last visit to Goodison Park, a 3-0 defeat in April, Arsenal were being out-fought and out-thought by Roberto Martinez’s side and looked set to suffer the consequences.

As impressive as Everton were with their slick passing and fluid moves going forward, it was far too easy for them to find a way through the Arsenal midfield and defence, and the Toffees were rarely troubled at the back.
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It would have been a familiar sight for the travelling fans, who saw their side ship 20 goals as they lost heavily in all four of their away games against the other teams in the Premier League’s top five last season.

But that changed when Olivier Giroud came off the bench at half-time, and gave Wenger’s side a platform up front to haul themselves back into the game and, eventually, salvage a draw.

Aaron Ramsey gave them hope when he converted Santi Cazorla’s low cross and the much-criticised Giroud capped a fine display when he headed home Nacho Monreal’s cross in the final minute.

The equaliser was a reward for Arsenal’s persistence rather than their performance but perhaps it also demonstrated a new resolve that they lacked last season.

Finding a way of picking up points when they did not play well is not something that has come easy to the Gunners in the past but, after beating Crystal Palace in injury time last week, they have managed to do so in both their

They certainly did it the hard way here, falling behind thanks to some terrible defending when a quickly-taken Everton free-kick was played to Gareth Barry.

He had time to look up and bend a cross into the far post, where Romelu Lukaku was unmarked but left the ball for Coleman to run in unchallenged and power home his header.

The Gunners did not learn their lesson at the back and were lucky not to go 2-0 down moments later. Naismith’s flick-on found Kevin Mirallas surging into the area but he slipped as he shot and saw his scuffed effort roll wide.

Arsenal’s defensive problems were being compounded by the complete lack of threat they were posing at the other end.

Alexis Sanchez was struggling to make any inroads as a central striker and Mesut Ozil was almost completely anonymous on the left of the three players behind him.

Along with Ozil, Arsenal had another World Cup winner, Per Mertesacker, back in their line-up for the first time this season, but he was culpable in Everton’s second goal on the stroke of half-time.

Lukaku muscled him off the ball far too easily as the Toffees broke forward and the Belgian surged past Calum Chambers before playing in Naismith, who appeared to be offside, to make it 2-0.

Everton’s fans celebrated their dominance noisily at half-time and Wenger did not wait to act, hauling off Sanchez and sending Giroud on to lead the line.

The Frenchman had a chance to make an instant impression, but lashed Aaron Ramsey’s teasing cross over the bar with a wild volley at the back post.

At least he gave Everton’s defence something to think about, however, sending a skidding low shot wide from the edge of the area before finally forcing Tim Howard into a save after 69 minutes.

With Everton dropping deeper Arsenal pushed more men forward and, after Ramsey pulled their first goal back after 83 minutes, got their reward right at the end of the 90 minutes.

Monreal salvaged an over-hit cross and turned the ball back into the area where Giroud beat Distin and nodded home.

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Sherwood, 45, took over from Andre Villas-Boas in December and signed a deal to the end of the 2014-15 season.

“We agreed an 18-month contract with a break clause at the end of the season and we have now exercised that option,” said Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax boss Frank de Boer have been linked with the post.

Sherwood told Sky Sports News, after the announcement: “It is obviously a massive wrench to leave a club of the stature of Tottenham Hotspur, a club very close to my heart.”

His final game in charge was the 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on the last day of the Premier League season and he claimed afterwards that he would have earned a top-four spot had he been in charge for the whole season.

The ex-Spurs midfielder took over with the White Hart Lane outfit five points shy of the Champions League qualifying spots and ended the campaign 10 points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal.

Sherwood had a top-flight win percentage of 59 per cent, which is the best of any Tottenham boss in Premier League history, and sixth place was enough to get the club into next season’s Europa League.

But there had been speculation over his future during his spell in charge, with Tottenham having to deny claims from Ajax that they contacted the Dutch club over the availability of De Boer.

Sherwood also claimed he felt like a “supply teacher”, with players being told by their agents he would not be at the club next season.

Sherwood, who won three England caps, joined Tottenham as a player in 1999 from Blackburn, where he won the Premier League in 1995.

He left White Hart Lane in 2003 and moved to Portsmouth but returned as part of the club’s coaching staff in 2008 under manager Harry Redknapp.

Sherwood was working as technical co-ordinator when chairman Levy asked him to look after the first team following the sacking of Villas-Boas.

“Spurs appear to be in a little bit of a dilemma,” former club striker Clive Allen told BBC Radio 5 live.

“Louis van Gaal seemed to be what they were looking for, but now it appears he will be taking over at Manchester United.

“It’s a difficult decision for Levy. Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino is one he’s said to looking at while Roberto Martinez has done a fantastic job at Everton.”

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In a quarter-final that was closer than the emphatic final scoreline suggests, Mesut Ozil gave Arsenal an early lead but Romelu Lukaku tapped in from almost on the goal line to equalise for Everton before half-time.

Substitute Olivier Giroud then struck twice in the last 10 minutes to give the hosts a winning margin that was harsh on Everton, who were in the game for so long – but there can be no question Arsenal deserved to win.

It was a vital win, too, as the FA Cup emerges as the Gunners’ best hope of claiming their first silverware since winning this tournament in 2005.

The manner of the victory also provides the perfect platform for the arduous Champions League task awaiting them on Tuesday as they try to over-a 2-0 deficit in the second leg of their last-16 tie against Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena.

For Everton manager Roberto Martinez, there is to be no place in history as the first manager to retain the FA Cup at different clubs and he must now concentrate on claiming a place in Europe via the Premier League.

Martinez maintained his FA Cup policy of playing second-choice goalkeeper Joel Robles – who won this trophy with him at Wigan last season – ahead of the established Tim Howard.

And the young Spaniard had a desperately uncertain first half, mixing good stops from Yaya Sanogo, Thomas Vermaelen and Oxlade-Chamberlain with a stubborn – not to mention very hazardous -determination to punch everything, including one anxious moment when he turned Bacary Sagna’s cross on to the bar.

But Robles was blameless as Arsenal took the lead after only seven minutes. James McCarthy was unlucky to slip in pursuit of Santi Cazorla, whose pass was steered home from the angle in composed fashion by Ozil.

Arsene Wenger’s men had gained control of the game but the strong running of Ross Barkley was emerging as the biggest danger to them – a threat realised when Everton drew level as half-time approached.

The England youngster surged deep into home territory and when Kevin Mirallas turned his cross into the six-yard area Lukaku was left with the simplest of touches into an empty net.

The Belgium international had been on the margins of the action but his sheer physical presence forced Vermaelen into a slip that almost saw Everton take the lead just after the break.

The Toffees’ giant striker left his countryman grounded before setting up Barkley, who should have hit the target from 12 yards.

Robles was certainly a mixed bag and he produced a fine save from Cazorla, diving low to his left to turn his shot around the post.

Arsenal were back in front when Barry somewhat needlessly upended Oxlade-Chamberlain in the area. Arteta beat Robles from the spot with his first attempt, only for referee Mark Clattenburg to order a retake as Giroud had encroached. But there was no reprieve for Everton as Arteta kept his cool to beat Robles expertly again.

Barkley was again the threat for Everton with 15 minutes left when he swept an effort inches wide of the far post with Lukasz Fabianski beaten.

Arsenal gave the scoreline a comprehensive look as Giroud struck twice in the closing minutes, almost stooping to his knees to turn in Sagna’s cross after 83 minutes then adding his second two minutes later after being played in by Ozil.

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The 19-year-old smashed past Wojciech Szczesny from inside the box to cancel out Mesut Ozil’s close-range finish.

Everton’s Tim Howard had earlier denied Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud, before Szczesny thwarted Kevin Mirallas.

Giroud hit the bar in injury-time, but the point moves Arsenal five clear of Liverpool at the top of the table.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez,  who was relegated with Wigan on his last visit to the Emirates, praised his side’s “lack of fear” ahead of the match and Deulofeu’s late strike spoke volumes for the Blues’ character as they remain the only side with one loss in the Premier League.

Arsenal, who have now led in 13 of their 15 league matches, will be frustrated to have squandered the advantage having battled to break down their visitors with Ozil’s fourth league goal of the campaign.

Their manager, Arsene Wenger described the visitors’  midweek win over Manchester United as a “warning” for his side ahead of kick-off and with the two best defences in the league on show, goal-mouth action was in short supply during the early exchanges.

Everton, who last won at Arsenal in 1996, enjoyed large bouts of possession and drew protestations from Wenger for the intensity of their pressing without the ball.

Sylvain Distin swiped a volley wide for the visitors, before Ross Barkley, operating behind Romelu Lukaku, fed Mirallas on a breakaway but the Belgian’s effort was wasteful.

Howard, seeking a fourth successive clean sheet, dived at the feet of Giroud to block after a neat Ramsey pass, before the Arsenal charges reversed roles.

This time Giroud dummied to release the Welshman, but Howard was again swift and brave to block at his feet.

The Gunners started the second period with the intensity their opponents had the first and Carzola headed tamely at Howard after a delightful interchange with Wilshere.

The intricate play was not lost on Martinez’s side and Steven Pienaar collected Barkley’s confident flick to warm the hands of Szczesny in Arsenal’s goal.

Ramsey, whose eight goals make him the Premier League’s most potent midfielder, was denied by Howard before the influential Barkley blasted straight at Szczesny at the other end.

After making four changes from the mid week win against Hull, Wenger highlighted the strength of his bench ahead of the match and the introduction of Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini backed up his confidence.

Flamini instantly shot wide, before Rosicky and Walcott combined to present Ozil with the opener.

The German, who now has four goals and six assists in his last 12 Premier League matches, volleyed high past Howard from six-yards, sparking relief amongst home supporters.

Their emotion was soon swung by Deulofeu, who had been on the field just five minutes when he collected a pass inside the area to unleash a shot past Szczesny.

Giroud’s volley from 30 yards at the death almost offered a dramatic end to a pulsating final 10 minutes of play, but the ball cannoned back of the angle of post and crossbar to ensure the points were shared.

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