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France and Spain will put their unbeaten records on the line when they face each other in the first semifinal of the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, with only one team earning a place in Sunday’s final.
Both sides are playing in their 17th World Cup and neither has trailed in any match during this year’s tournament. France, led by Kylian Mbappé, and Spain, inspired by teenage star Lamine Yamal and impact substitute Mikel Merino, will meet at AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
France and Spain have met only once before in the World Cup, with France winning 3-1 in the round of 16 at the 2006 tournament in Germany.
Top-ranked France has scored 14 goals while conceding only twice in the tournament. Mbappé, winner of the 2022 Golden Boot, has scored eight goals to share the tournament lead with Argentina captain Lionel Messi. The French forward is also just one goal away from matching Messi’s career World Cup record of 21 goals.
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“We are confident because of the journey we have had so far, but we also want to remain humble, which has defined us since the start of the tournament,” France midfielder Adrien Rabiot said.
Mbappé, 27, has now scored 20 goals in 20 World Cup matches. He famously scored in France’s 2018 final victory over Croatia, becoming only the second teenager after Pele to score in a World Cup final. Coach Didier Deschamps said Mbappé is fully fit after being substituted in the 77th minute of France’s quarterfinal victory over Morocco, in which he scored.
Spain will rely on 19-year-old Yamal, who celebrated his birthday on Monday. The young winger has already enjoyed success against France, scoring in Spain’s 2-1 victory in the semifinals of the 2024 European Championship just before turning 17. Spain also defeated France 5-4 in last year’s UEFA Nations League.
“I think if France has to fear anyone, it should be us,” Yamal said after Spain’s quarterfinal win over Belgium. “We were the team that eliminated them before.”
Yamal has scored once in this World Cup while registering 10 shots on target despite still recovering from a left hamstring injury that forced him to miss the closing weeks of Barcelona’s season.
“This is the biggest match I have ever played,” Yamal said on Monday. “The best birthday gift would be reaching the final.”
France defender Jules Koundé, Yamal’s teammate at Barcelona, said he was not bothered by the youngster’s confident remarks.
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“He always believes in himself and in the team he plays for. That’s simply extra motivation for him,” Koundé said.
Spain has scored 10 goals and conceded only once since opening the tournament with a goalless draw against Cape Verde. Merino has emerged as a key player, scoring late winning goals in Spain’s last two knockout matches.
The Arsenal forward scored in the 88th minute to seal a 2-1 victory over Belgium in the quarterfinals after netting in first-half stoppage time of extra time during Spain’s 1-0 win over Portugal in the round of 16 at the same venue.
Goalkeeper Unai Simón also enjoyed a record-breaking run, going 650 World Cup minutes without conceding before Belgium scored in the 41st minute of the quarterfinal.
Spain midfielder Alex Baena said the team has continued to improve throughout the tournament.
“From the first game until now, we’ve gradually found our rhythm. The more we have played and trained together, the stronger we have become,” he said.
Since then, both countries have lifted the trophy. Spain won its only World Cup title in 2010, while France claimed its second crown in 2018.
France, playing on Bastille Day, is aiming to become only the third nation after Brazil and Germany to reach three consecutive World Cup finals. Brazil achieved the feat between 1994 and 2002, while West Germany reached three straight finals from 1982 to 1990.
France is appearing in its seventh World Cup semifinal and its fifth in the last eight editions. Spain has reached the semifinals only twice before—in 1950 and during its title-winning campaign in 2010.
