The World Cup semi-finals begin and you could hardly ask for anything better represent the summit of international football. The four national teams remained, France, Spain, England and Argentina, are in fact the top four in the FIFA rankingsFor the first time in the tournament's history, they are all in the top four together. It's also only the third time, after 1970 and 1990, that the semifinalists have already won at least one World Cup.
The first major crossroads confronts us this evening France and Spain, at 21 p.m. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. A match that feels like an early final, between the tournament's most spectacular and productive national team and a solid, patient, and nearly impossible-to-beat Roja. On one side Kylian Mbappé, launched towards new records, on the other Lamine Yamal, symbol of a generation that wants to confirm what has been shown in the last major events. The prediction remains wide openDidier Deschamps tried to shift the pressure onto his opponents, pinning Spain as the favorites, while Luis de la Fuente responded by relying on the strength of the group and the talent of his most anticipated player.
No one would want to miss an event of this level, but Attending the semi-final live remains a luxury for a fewAfter the United States' elimination against Belgium, ticket prices dropped by about 60%, but on the secondary market the cheapest coupon is still over $1.600Before Mauricio Pochettino's national team left the stadium, the minimum asking price had reached around $4, fueled by American fans' hopes of seeing the United States play France in Texas. At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, prices remain extremely high. In other sections, they range from $3 to $7, while seats closest to the pitch exceed $10.
France and Spain, two different paths to the semi-final
La France They arrive at the tournament after six wins in as many matches and sixteen goals scored. Les Bleus have progressed through the tournament with increasing superiority, displaying an attacking variety that no other national team has managed to match. Mbappé has already scored eight goals, rising to twenty total World Cup goals, just one shy of the all-time record held by Lionel Messi. The French captain has scored in five of his six matches and represents the center of gravity of the entire system. Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise have grown alongside him. The former has added goals and unpredictability, the latter has already provided six assists, moving within one of Pelé's record set in 1970. France have produced 47 shots on target, their highest figure since 1998, and are averaging 7,8 shots on target per game. The knockout stages confirmed Deschamps's team's ability to handle even the most tense matches. After a 3-0 win against Sweden, they followed up with a 1-0 win against Paraguay and a 2-0 victory against Morocco. Not even Mbappé's missed penalty against the African champions disturbed the team's confidence, as they continued to control the match without losing their balance.
La Spain followed a less overwhelming, but equally effective, pathAfter a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde, La Roja beat Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, finishing the group without conceding a goal. They also built their solidity in the knockout stage, overcoming Austria and Portugal before defeating Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals. first goal conceded by Unai Simón It came right against the Belgians, after 649 minutes of unbeaten playDe Ketelaere's goal ended a remarkable run, but it did not prevent Spain from reaching the semi-final thanks to theAnother decisive goal from Mikel Merino, already decisive against Portugal. Three of Spain's five victories have come by just one goal, two of them in the final minutes.
Mbappé vs. Yamal: numbers and precedents of a total challenge
The most anticipated duel is the one between Mbappé and YamalThe Frenchman has already scored twenty goals in twenty World Cup matches under Deschamps, setting an all-time record for the ratio of a player to a single coach. The French coach reiterates that his captain is "on a mission," knowing that a second World Cup title would definitively propel him among the most important figures in the tournament's history. Yamal experienced more inconsistent competition, also due to the physical problems he had before the World Cup. He scored against Saudi Arabia, but was not directly involved in another goal in the knockout stages. De la Fuente, however, continues to count on him: "His best performance in this World Cup is yet to come. He's incredibly motivated, he's very eager. We just need to curb his anxiety a little."
Yamal himself doesn't hide and has thrown down the gauntlet: "If there's a team that can beat France, it's us." A phrase that sums up the Roja's confidence, also strengthened by recent precedents. Spain have won their last two knockout matches, winning 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semi-final and 5-4 in the 2025 Nations League semi-final.
Il the overall balance of the 38 matches remains favorable to the Spanish, with 18 wins against France's 13 and seven draws. Their only previous World Cup encounter, however, smiles on France: in the 2006 round of 16, the Bleus won 3-1 with goals from Ribéry, Vieira, and Zidane.
France is appearing in their eighth World Cup semifinal, and after losing their first three, they have reached the final of their last four. They have also won their last three semifinals without conceding a goal. Spain, on the other hand, is appearing in only their second World Cup semifinal: the previous one, in 2010, took them to the title. In major tournaments, Spain has won six of their seven semifinals between the World Cup and European Championships.
Deschamps tried to relieve the pressure"We know Spain well; they're the reigning European champions. They considered us the favorites before the World Cup, but Spain are the real favorites." De la Fuente didn't hold back: "Being in the semifinals of a World Cup is extremely difficult and very tough. All our rivals are very strong, and we, as a team, are very powerful. The path to the final is wide open."
France vs. Spain: probable lineups
Deschamps should confirm the 4-2-3-1, with Maignan between the posts and a defensive line composed of Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba and Digne. Koné and Rabiot will operate in front of the defense, while Dembélé, Olise and Doué should move behind Mbappé. main doubt It concerns Tchouaméni, who is struggling with a groin problem and remained on the bench against Morocco.
De la Fuente should respond with the same formUnai Simón will be protected by Pedro Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, and Cucurella. Rodri and Fabián Ruiz will form the double midfield, with Yamal, Dani Olmo, and Baena behind Oyarzabal. Nico Williams is back, but his starting spot remains uncertain. truly decisive man Spain could still be MerinoComing off the bench, he scored the qualifying goals against Portugal and Belgium, becoming the first player to score two decisive goals in different knockout matches at the same World Cup as a substitute. France starts with a slight advantage Based on their performance so far, they have more attacking options, score more consistently, and appear to have greater depth. Spain, however, have already shown they can beat Les Bleus on big nights and concede very little.
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Koné, Rabiot; Dembélé, Olise, Doué; Mbappé. Coach Deschamps.
Spain (4-2-3-1): Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri; Yamal, Dani Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal. Coach De la Fuente.
France vs. Spain: Where to watch the semifinal
France-Spain will also be the first major showcase of the Trionda Final, the new ball created by Adidas for the semi-finals, the third-place match, and the World Cup final. It's not just a color update of the model used in the first half of the tournament, but a design specifically designed for the decisive matches. The ball maintains the four-panel structure and technical characteristics of Trionda, but introduces a gold finish Inspired by the World Cup, it sits on a black base and features pink and red details. The panels depict the cities hosting the final matches: Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, and New York-New Jersey, while the other tournament venues appear within the triangular graphics. Deep stitching and surface textures are designed to ensure stability and aerodynamics, while Connected Ball Technology will provide real-time data to match officials, aiming to speed up decision-making and improve analysis.
France vs. Spain will be played tonight at 21 p.m. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.The match will be broadcast live on Rai 1 e Dazn, with the possibility of following it also in streaming on RaiPlayThe match was refereed by Salvadoran referee Iván Arcides. Barton Cisneros.
