Overview
- The World Cup semi‑final between France and Spain is scheduled for Tuesday 14 July at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with the winner advancing to the final at MetLife Stadium.
- France has presented a united, confident front in media sessions and training, saying it ‘fears no one’ and highlighting a firing attacking group led by Kylian Mbappé.
- Spain has publicly matched that confidence through players and staff, notably 19‑year‑old Lamine Yamal’s warning to the Bleus that Spain is the team to fear.
- Former Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy’s comment suggesting France’s squad is ‘without French’ prompted formal responses from the French embassy and multiple French politicians who called the remarks unacceptable.
- Didier Deschamps confirmed Aurélien Tchouaméni is available for selection but has kept his starting XI undecided, and several pundits continue to rate France the slight favourite going into the match.