World Cup Recap: France 1, Brazil 0

A France team reminiscent of a previous vintage knocked out holders Brazil 1-0 with a Thierry Henry goal on Saturday to reach the World Cup semifinals. Striker Henry, left unmarked in the area, volleyed home a free kick from Zinedine Zidane for the winner after 57 minutes.

Les Bleus, who had stunned Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 final, produced a superb performance to set up a match with Portugal on Wednesday in Munich for a place in the July 9 final. Five-times champions Brazil, aiming to reach the World Cup final for the fourth time in succession, looked nervous throughout a game of high quality.

France's win means the great Zidane, man of the match here, has not played his last match before retirement. First they go to the semifinals against Portugal on Wednesday in Munich. With Germany playing Italy in Tuesday's semifinal in Dortmund, this is the first all-European final four since 1982 in Spain.

It was Zidane who lifted his nation past Brazil in the final eight years ago, scoring two goals for France's only title. Since then, Brazil had won 11 straight World Cup games and another championship — its fifth — and this was deemed its best squad in years. Brazil's streak of three straight finals, two of them wins, also was snapped.

Zidane, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho have won eight of the last 10 FIFA world player of the year awards. Only Zidane displayed those skills Saturday.