Adrien Rabiot confirms France will have no ‘anti-Yamal’ plan for World Cup semifinal vs Spain

Lamine Yamal enters the 2026 World Cup semifinal between Spain and France as one of the most dangerous players in the world, but France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has made clear that Les Bleus will not be building their defensive gameplan around stopping him.

Yamal has already made France suffer on multiple occasions, scoring the equalizer in the Euro 2024 semifinal and netting twice in the Nations League semifinal. Now 19, he faces Les Bleus once again at the semifinal stage, this time at a World Cup, with the head-to-head record firmly in his favor.

Yet when asked about how France plans to handle the Barcelona star, Rabiot was straightforward. “There is no anti-Yamal plan. We’re focused on the Spanish team. No, we’re not focusing on one player, we know they are dangerous in every aspect, whether it’s him or the forwards in possession of the ball, attacking the tight spaces near the box, the combination play,” he said at Monday’s press conference.

Spain rank sixth in the tournament in goals scored with 11, but have conceded just once, and sit second among the four semifinalists in shots on target behind only France, reflecting a team that wins through collective effort rather than individual brilliance. “So we need to stay focused on that, not necessarily on one individual,” the AC Milan midfielder added.

Yamal had already turned up the heat after Spain’s win over Belgium, declaring: “I think that if France has to fear anyone, it’s us, as we’re the ones who have knocked them out before.” Those words appear to have landed with the French camp, who will now be looking to eliminate Spain for the first time in three years after falling short in both the Euro and the Nations League.

Yamal’s 2026 World Cup so far

Yamal has been one of Spain’s most important players in both the Euro and the Nations League, but his first World Cup has not yet seen him reach those same heights. Despite featuring in all six of Spain’s matches, with limited involvement against Cape Verde, he has managed just one goal against Saudi Arabia and has yet to register an assist.

By comparison, he contributed one goal and four assists across seven games at Euro 2024, and three goals and one assist in seven games during the 2024-25 Nations League. The serious injury he suffered at Barcelona before the tournament may still be a factor, and despite being nearly a month removed from his return to the pitch, his sharpest form has remained elusive.

Currently, Mikel Oyarzabal leads Spain’s scoring chart with four goals, while Marc Cucurella tops the assists list with two. The semifinal against France represents Yamal’s best opportunity yet to announce himself on the World Cup stage.