World Cup: France, Spain unbeaten before semis, but only one can make final
Heading into semifinal, neither side has trailed in a single match at FIFA World Cup, but only one can reach the final. Kylian Mbappe and
Heading into semifinal, neither side has trailed in a single match at FIFA World Cup, but only one can reach the final. Kylian Mbappe and France have not trailed at all in this year’s World Cup. Neither has Spain, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and clutch goal-scoring substitute Mikel Merino. Only one of those teams can make it to the final. France and Spain, both at their 17th World Cup, have met only once previously on football’s biggest stage. They play Tuesday’s match at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in the first of two powerhouse semifinal matches. After entering this tournament as FIFA’s top-ranked team, France have outscored their opponents 14-2. Mbappe, the 2022 Golden Boot winner, has eight goals to match Lionel Messi for the scoring lead this time, and is one behind the Argentina captain’s career record of 21 at the World Cup. “We are confident, of course, with the course we have done so far, and we have to be,” France midfielder Adrien Rabiot said. “But always with this humility that has characterised us since the beginning of the competition.” The 27-year-old Mbappe has 20 goals in his 20 World Cup matches, including one in the 2018 win over Croatia, as he joined Pele as the only other teenager to score in a World Cup final. Coach Didier Deschamps said Mbappe is fine physically after exiting in the 77th minute of Les Bleus’ quarterfinal win over Morocco after scoring a goal. Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, has already been part of two semifinal wins with Spain over France.
He was just days shy of his 17th birthday when he scored in a 2-1 win during the 2024 European Championship semifinals, and Spain won 5-4 in Nations League play last year. “I believe if France has to fear anyone, it should be us, in my opinion,” Yamal said after Spain’s quarterfinal victory over Belgium. “We were the ones that knocked them out before.” The teenager has only one goal from 10 shots on target in this World Cup, still nursing a left hamstring issue. He missed the final weeks of the season for Spanish club Barcelona. “It’s the most important match I’m going to play,” Yamal said ahead of the game, adding his best birthday gift would be a victory and trip to the final. “We are all so excited, especially me.” France defender Jules Kounde also plays for Barcelona, so he knows Yamal well and did not feel disrespected by the earlier comments. “He always does it with [Barcelona]. He trusts a lot in his virtues, in the virtues of the team where he plays,” Kounde said in translated remarks. “An extra motivation for him and that’s it, that’s all.” Spain have outscored opponents 10-1 since a scoreless draw against surprising Cape Verde to open group play, but La Roja got late decisive goals from Merino as a late substitute in the past two games. And goalkeeper Unai Simon set a World Cup record of 650 minutes without allowing a goal until Belgium scored in the 41st minute of their quarterfinal game.
The BriefWire