France and Spain have faced each other only once in World Cup history, a match that occurred two decades ago. Back then, Les Bleus consistently outperformed La Roja, as seen in the Euro 84 final and the Euro 2000 quarter-finals.
Since that time, however, Spain has had the upper hand in tournament matches, securing victories in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals and the Euro 2024 semi-finals, alongside a thrilling 5-4 win in last year’s Nations League semi-finals. Despite this, France claimed the title in the 2021 Nations League final.
Spain will field an unchanged lineup following their victory against Belgium. Mikel Merino, who has been a decisive substitute in the last two matches, will once again start on the bench, while Fabian Ruiz is preferred over Pedri in midfield.
France has made a couple of adjustments from the team that triumphed against Morocco. Aurélien Tchouaméni returns from injury, taking Manu Koné’s place in midfield, and Bradley Barcola replaces Désiré Doué on the left wing.
Here are the starting lineups:
- France:Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Dembele, Olise, Barcola, Mbappe.Subs:Samba, Risser, Gusto, Kone, Thuram, Kante, Konate, Zaire Emery, Theo Hernandez, Doue, Lucas Hernandez, Mateta, Cherki, Akliouche, Lacroix.
- Spain:Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Fabian, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal.Subs:Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Gonzalez, Munoz, Iglesias.
The match will be officiated by referee Ivan Barton Cisneros from El Salvador.
This marks France’s eighth appearance in a World Cup semi-final, and their track record is impressive: they have suffered three losses (against Brazil in 1958, and West Germany in 1982 and 1986) but celebrated four victories (against Croatia in 1998, Portugal in 2006, Belgium in 2018, and Morocco in 2022).
In contrast, Spain has reached this stage only twice, boasting a perfect record with a win over Germany in 2010. They also participated in the 1950 final pool, an event that turned out to be memorable.
Only four penalty shootouts have occurred in the tournament thus far. Will we witness another tonight? If so, what will unfold?
Spain had a slow start in the tournament, beginning with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, which, in hindsight, seems less concerning. They gained momentum with an easy win over Saudi Arabia, followed by eliminating Uruguay. Despite the rocky start, Spain ended up topping Group H.
During the knockout stages, Spain has managed to progress without hitting their peak performance, although Mikel Oyarzabal’s clinical finishes against Austria were a highlight.
France navigated Group I with relative ease, initially starting slow but eventually overpowering Senegal. A lengthy storm delay during their match against Iraq did not hinder their performance, and they secured a convincing victory against Norway B.
As they advanced into the knockout phase, France demonstrated their quality consistently. Now, they find themselves on the brink of a monumental clash.
As the anticipation builds, France and Spain prepare to face off in a World Cup semi-final that features the two best teams in the tournament. This encounter promises to be electrifying, and the stage is set for an unforgettable match. Kick-off in Dallas is scheduled for 8pm BST/3pm EST/5am AEST. Let the game begin!
