Ranking semi-finalists by how strange it'll be if they actually win World Cup

Only four remain. Heading into the semi-finals of the World Cup, we rank each side based on how odd it would be if they actually won the World Cup.

4. France

Aside from much-maligned manager Didier Deschamps winning the World Cup in spite of himself, there's nothing that would be even slightly ridiculous about France capturing the sport's most grandiose title for the second time.

Les Bleus have the most talented squad of the four teams remaining - they arguably have the most skilled collection of players in the entire tournament, full stop.

Kylian Mbappe, at just 19, is putting himself in the conversation for the Ballon d'Or, Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante are dominating matches in midfield, and Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti are proving colossal in defense.

France, in fact, has all the hallmarks of a World Cup-winning side.

Still, Deschamps, though ...

Hilarity ranking: 😂

3. England

If it were any other nation, there'd be nothing particularly unusual about this collection of young, likable, exuberant players winning the World Cup. But it's England, which, since hoisting its lone trophy in 1966, has won a grand total of zero major international tournaments, never finishing better than third in either the World Cup or European Championship.

One way or another, the Three Lions have always figured out a way to blow it. Often, defeat has come in heartbreaking fashion.

Actually pulling this off, then, would be met with more of a chuckle than a bellow, but it would certainly garner a reaction from those who associate the country's football team with failure.

The other humourous element comes from a purely slapstick perspective. If fan reaction to England's victories in this tournament thus far is any indication, victory for Gareth Southgate's men would result in some of the most ridiculous celebrations we've ever witnessed.

Related: Watch: Best (and worst) fan reactions to England's win over Sweden

Just don't go punching any horses, guys.

Hilarity ranking: 😂😂

2. Croatia

Vedran Corluka, World Cup champion. That has a nice pretty hilarious ring to it. Particularly for Premier League viewers, the idea of seeing Corluka raise the World Cup in ecstasy would induce plenty of laughs.

So too would a triumph for error-prone centre-back Dejan Lovren, for that matter.

The oft-criticised Liverpool man is seen by many as a mistake waiting to happen at the heart of his team's backline, but alongside the likes of Domagoj Vida and Ivan Strinic, Lovren is the best defender Croatia has.

Right-back Sime Vrsaljko is in danger of missing the remainder of the tournament with a knee problem, so there's a very real possibility Croatia would be rolling out one of the most unremarkable rearguards in the history of the tournament for both the semi-final and a potential final.

Hilarity ranking: 😂😂😂

1. Belgium

Belgium will see the hilarity of Corluka hoisting the World Cup, and raise you Roberto Martinez, Nacer Chadli, and Marouane freaking Fellaini.

Martinez has consistently made baffling coaching decisions in this tournament - like starting Yannick Ferreira Carrasco as a wing-back, or relying on a midfield axis of Fellaini and Axel Witsel against Brazil - and somehow has come away unscathed.

He left Radja Nainggolan, arguably the country's best central midfielder, at home, and is yet to play the outstanding Mousa Dembele in the knockout stages. Everything he's done thus far screams out "this is a terrible mistake," and yet here he is, two wins away from becoming a World Cup champion.

A team that would have lost to either Japan or Brazil without the vital contributions of Fellaini and Chadli is on the verge of standing atop the football world.

For all the incredible talent elsewhere in this squad, that is remarkable.

Hilarity ranking: 😂😂😂😂

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)