France and Spain will meet this Tuesday in one of the most exciting semifinals in recent world football history, with a ticket to the at stake. The match will be held at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a capacity of nearly 100,000 spectators.
The French arrive as two-time world champions (1998 and 2018) with the ambition of competing in their third consecutive final after falling to Argentina in Qatar 2022. Meanwhile, Spain aims to return to the title match for the first time since their victory in South Africa 2010.
Two flawless campaigns
France completed the group stage with six victories in six matches as the leader of Group I, and in the knockout rounds, they dispatched Sweden (3-0), Paraguay (1-0), and Morocco (2-0) without conceding a single goal. In total, they scored six goals during that stage, with a team that combines defensive solidity and offensive power.
Kylian Mbappé was crucial against Morocco: he scored a goal and assisted Ousmane Dembélé, although he also missed a penalty. With eight goals in the tournament, he leads the race for the Golden Boot alongside Lionel Messi, having the edge due to his three assists compared to the Argentine's two. Historically, Mbappé has accumulated 20 goals in World Cups in just three tournaments, just one short of the record of 21 held by Messi.
Spain had a more uneven start: it drew 0-0 against Cape Verde in its debut but improved to show the form that made it the champion of Europe. La Roja won 3-0 against Austria, eliminated Portugal 1-0, and defeated Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals. That Belgian goal was the first one conceded throughout the entire competition.
Merino, the man of the moment just right
One of the major Spanish players has been Mikel Merino, who became the first footballer to score the winning goal in two knockout matches of the same World Cup after coming off the bench: against Portugal in the 90+1 minute and against Belgium in the 88th. His ability to make a decisive impact makes him one of the most valuable assets for coach Luis de la Fuente.
Another name to watch is Lamine Yamal, who has already scored three goals in his two previous matches against France and will look to make an impact again in one of the most important stages of his young career.
The recent history favors Spain
The history favors La Roja. Spain won seven of the last 10 encounters between both teams, including the 2-1 in the semifinals of Euro 2024 and the 5-4 in the semifinal of the Nations League 2025.
In addition, Spain has gone 36 consecutive matches without losing since March 2024, with 26 wins and 10 draws. If they do not lose to France in 90 minutes, they will equal the historical record of 37 unbeaten matches set by Italy between 2018 and 2021, a streak that ended precisely against the Spaniards in the semifinals of the Nations League that year.
Tactical keys of the clash
France stands out for its strength in the second half: 11 of its 16 goals in the tournament came after the break. It also leads the World Cup in shots on target per match, with an average of 7.8.
Spain, on the other hand, has built its campaign around ball control, high pressing, and defensive solidity. In just four of their last 16 matches did both teams score, highlighting the difficulty opponents have in creating chances against them.
The winner of this match will face the victor of the other semifinal between Argentina and England on Sunday, July 19, in New York. The other semifinal is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15.
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