poptimists | The Pop World Cup SEMI-FINAL; 2: Portugal v France

The second semi-final pits

thebopkids' Portugal against

atommickbrane's France. Portugal are no minnows but their fans will be surprised and pleased by their progress, which commentators are putting down to the canny scouting policies of the manager and his Argentinian assistant. France must be congratulated for being the only one of the pre-tournament favourites to hold their nerve and make it through to a potential place on pop's biggest stage: they have strength in depth but will la boss get the formation right today?

Two sides with a commitment to attacking pop - it should be a good match! Head to http://www.freakytrigger.co.uk/popworldcup/ for your downloads - and get voting!

Portugal

OVO - "Dormir" - Urbane boss

thebopkids told us "Pop, the glory game. It’s not about the winning and losing, it’s about the style with which you set about the opponent.

I have to be truthful, we in the Portuguese camp are happy to be here. No-one really fancied us to progress to this stage. But now we’re here, it’s not enough. We’re determined to go all the way. We’ve shown ourselves to be a versatile team: any manager who can field Fonzie alongside Furtado has to know how to mix it up. So far, I’m not sure our opponents have known what to expect. They’re set up for our direct game, we play it short and compact, or vice versa, and so on.

And so, it’s the semi-final, the biggest match of most of our boys’ careers. What can we do but mix it up again? This time we’re playing in a more considered style, slowing it down, complex passing shapes, keeping possession, flowing into attack when the opposition aren’t looking.

In some ways we’re closer now to a truly Portuguese style than we have been in this tournament. The whiff of fado, which I and my backroom staff keep hinting at, is here for all to enjoy. Our fans at home will be pleased. But just as our seafaring nation prides itself on its internationalism, so we’re not playing a conservative game, imports from all around the pop world give us strength at the back, up-to date tactics and modern training methods.

We’ll be playing this game in the positive spirit of world pop. I hope it’s a spectacle all can enjoy."

France

Alain Braxe and Fred Falke - "Rubicon" - Excitable gaffer

atommicbrane told us "France France France France! France France France France! What, do you want WORDS from me? Sometimes, you don't need words - we've had the Patte-r (do you see) of les banlieus, sixties birds singing about Agatha Christie and modern day she-males telling their tales of the Disco - but now, let's just feel the POWER OF THE VORGEY NOISE! Let's let Alan Braxe, not forgetting Fred Falke, bring back THE power-synth anthem of the Poptimists and FEEL THE LOVE! France France France, France France France, France France France! VORGE ON!"

So, how do we decide who goes through to the final?

It's very simple - just listen to each track and give it a mark from 0 to 5 in the poll below. If you don't want to use the poll, send your votes to freakytrigger@gmail.com.

[Poll #743519]

The results will go up next TUESDAY (voting ends at NOON that day), and there will then be a 2-week break (while I'm on holiday) before the final. TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE POP WORLD CUP - only four games to go, and they're all going to be crackers!