France and Spain Set for World Cup Semifinal Showdown
France, the world No. 1 side, meets world No. 3 Spain in the first semifinal of this year’s World Cup. The heavyweight clash was widely predicted before the tournament began in North America. France enters as a slight favorite on superior summer form, but Spain has beaten Les Bleus in the last two knockout tournament meetings and arrives confident.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente called the tie demanding and compared it to a final. “Tomorrow’s match will demand everything of us and it could well be a final, the same as England vs. Argentina,” De la Fuente said. “The best four teams in the world are in the semifinals, according to the FIFA rankings. We have to get better, of course, because if you settle, normally, things don’t go well for you.”
Yamal Turns 19 on the Eve of the Tie
Lamine Yamal turned 19 yesterday. He is a three-time La Liga winner with Barcelona and a European champion with Spain.
The winger now stands two wins away from adding the World Cup to his trophy cabinet this summer. He has struggled for impact this summer after a hamstring injury cost him the final weeks of the domestic season, though he was eased back into the lineup and should now be fully fit.
“It’s the most important match of my career so far,” Yamal said yesterday. “We’re all very excited, I would put it in the top spot.” He has scored one goal so far but leads the tournament in receiving the ball behind the defensive line.
Opponents have assigned two or three defenders to Yamal, as Belgium did in the quarterfinal. France’s attacking focus may grant him more space than smaller sides allowed, since the opponent will be more worried about attacking than defending.
Asked about semifinal pressure, Yamal kept perspective. “There are situations in life way more difficult than a football match,” he said. “I always think that I have to be calm because that’s all it is, a game. When it’s over, life goes on.”
Spain’s Control and Finishing Problem
Spain has reached the semifinals without Yamal influencing matches as normal. Instead, La Roja has ground opponents down with tournament-high possession of 60 percent.
Midfielder Rodri, 30, has made more passes than any player in the competition. But Spain has also sent more shots off target than any team, exposing a lack of clinical edge.
Striker Mikel Oyarzabal has led the line without being a true superstar. His recent knockout form has dipped, with Mikel Merino’s late goals rescuing Spain twice.
Against France, chances are expected to be limited. That forces Spain to recover the finishing touch it has missed.
France’s Form and Mbappé’s Record Chase
France celebrates Bastille Day as it rides impressive two-way form. The team has conceded only twice, bettered solely by Spain’s one goal.
Kylian Mbappé has eight goals already. The 27-year-old now has 20 goals in 20 World Cup matches.
Mbappé sits one shy of Lionel Messi’s all-time record. Michael Olise, 24, has the most assists in the tournament with five.
Olise has shown an uncanny ability to drift past players and pick out a killer pass. Warren Zaïre-Emery outlined France’s flexibility in approach.
“Spain have great quality on the ball,” the midfielder said. “We have the qualities to attack quickly on the counter, to keep possession ourselves and to defend well. The course of the game will dictate things. I cannot say now exactly how the match will unfold.”
Deschamps’ Final Tournament Motivates France
Didier Deschamps announced this World Cup is his last as France manager. The squad has grown tighter around him after the death of his mother earlier in the competition.
Adrien Rabiot said the circumstances added motivation. “You want to give everything, especially knowing that this is his last competition in charge of the France team. This is the moment,” Rabiot said. “The difficulties the coach has gone through have brought us even closer together.”
Norway’s Return and Dallas Fan Scene
Norway’s men returned to Oslo to a heroes’ welcome after reaching the quarterfinals in their first tournament since 1998. Fans lined the streets for a Viking row, and Erling Haaland stepped off the plane with a taxidermy raccoon.
In Dallas, Spanish and French supporters gathered at Dealey Plaza, site of John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination. They posed by the road markings where the course of US history changed.
When asked about World Cup conspiracy theories, including Egypt’s allegation that Argentina was favored by referees, American fan Chuck Williams drew a comparison to Kennedy claims. “It’s easier to assume the worst, and it may not actually turn out to be true,” Williams said. “Are FIFA this wonderful organization that are worthy of praise? Probably not, but as far as the conspiracy towards rigging games, it seems like it would be pretty tough to do.”
Balogun Reflects on Red Card
Folarin Balogun spoke publicly about the red card that derailed the USA’s campaign weeks ago. “I was in shock. It wasn’t even a tackle,” he said. “I just had to accept the decision and try to be there for my team.”
Balogun noted the fallout extended beyond the pitch. “My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back in the team. But when I started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy,” he said. “The closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult. There was a lot of outside noise and that’s hard to avoid.”