France's elegant midfield general and Portugal's flying winger have lit up Euro 2000 with flashes of their genius.

When they meet in Brussels, their minds will be focused on helping their respective countries into the final of the European Championships.

But, for football fans everywhere, it is a chance to witness two of the best players of their generation pitting their wits against each other.

Zidane is a former world footballer of the year. Figo is already being tipped for the title next year after a spectacular season with Barcelona and now with his country.

Portuguese defender Dimas played with Zidane at Juventus before moving on to Fenerbahce and Standard Liege and has seen Figo weave his magic many times in the colours of Portugal.

The full-back is in a perfect position to assess the two stars, but insists their games are so different it is impossible to compare.

Dimas said: "Zinedine Zidane is a good friend of mine and someone I respect a lot as a player but outside football he has also got a fantastic mentality.

"Rating him against Figo is always difficult because they are two different kinds of player.

"Each one if the best at his job. Figo in a master in a one-on-one, Zidane is the best at transporting the game."

As Figo tears teams apart from wide starting positions, darting inside or out, to supply the killer cross or unleash a missile at goal, Zidane stalks the centre of the pitch.

The Frenchman is a traditional playmaker, coaxing the best from others around him with his superb vision and quick feet, adding to this mix the vital elements which keep him above his rivals.

Zidane can change the pace of his movement effortlessly or turn up the tempo of the team. He has a natural ability to spot a weakness and exploit it with a dazzling flash of his talented feet.

He reads situations instantly, often from a congested central area and, more often than not selects the right option.

The Juve star also has individual strength and power to give him a physical presence and is a constant goal threat from open play or, as Spain discovered in the quarter-final, from set-pieces.

Figo, in contrast, flourishes in the spaces on the flanks. He finds himself room and maximises it with electric bursts of speed. If a defence becomes unbalanced, he will make them pay.

The Barcelona wide-man can operate on either side. From his meandering, stems Portugal's fluency, which, at its best, spawns beautiful attacking patterns.

He is capable of crossing brilliantly with either foot or swerving inside, at speed, to link up with his strikers in central areas.

Turkey were torn apart by Figo's movement. He created both goals for Nuno Gomes in the quarter-final from the right wing but carved out a hatful of other chances which went begging.

Dimas, however, was anxious to stress the capabilities of the other 20 players who will line up for the semi-final in Brussels, mindful of the French strength-in-depth.

"One thing you can rely upon is that it will be 11 against 11 and not one against one," he smiled.

The semi-final clash, a repeat of the 1984 semi won by a Michel Platini-inspired France en route to their first major trophy, is a mouth-watering prospect.

The rapier thrusts of Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka are sure to examine the wily defensive nous of Fernando Couto and Jorge Costa.

The sublime skills of Rui Costa are up against the defensive industry and vast experience of Didier Deschamps.

And Nuno Gomes, with the new-found confidence of three Euro 2000 goals, must find a way to escape the attentions of formidable French defenders Marcel Desailly and Laurent Blanc.

The goals will be guarded by two of the most colourful and talented goalkeepers in European football.

Fabien Barthez still mingles bravery and brilliance with his usual eccentricities and Vitor Baia, who has not conceded a goal since Steve McManaman put England two-up in Eindhoven, is as reliable as ever.