Spain’s Pau Cubarsí revels ‘no fear’ over facing Kylian Mbappé in 2026 World Cup semifinal

Spain have remained highly competitive throughout the 2026 World Cup, conceding just one goal in the entire tournament. After their recent victory over Belgium, they secured a place in the semifinals, where they will face France. While many fans have serious doubts about their chances of winning the matchup, Pau Cubarsí revealed that he is not afraid of facing Kylian Mbappé, while analyzing their upcoming encounter.

Despite being only 19 years old, Pau Cubarsi already has considerable experience at the top level in Europe. Showing confidence in his talent, he remains confident ahead of his matchup against Kylian Mbappé. “Not scare us, no, but everyone knows the qualities he has. Even if he’s not involved in the game, he can change it with one quick play. He’s unique, just like Lamine. We have to stay alert for the full 90 minutes,“ he said in an interview with Diario AS.

Throughout the 2026 World Cup, Cubarsí has remained an undisputed starter for head coach Luis de la Fuente. While Pedri, Lamine, and others have received the praise, the young defender has been key to stopping opponents’ progressions and preventing the team from conceding many goals. Moreover, he has already faced Mbappé on several occasions, proving that it is not impossible to stop his goalscoring progression.

Kylian Mbappé is in outstanding goalscoring form, having scored eight goals in six matches, making him the tournament’s top scorer alongside Lionel Messi. With that in mind, Pau Cubarsí faces the toughest challenge of the tournament: Stopping his outstanding form. As Mbappé is a very physical striker, the young defender will need a collective strategy, as Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and Désiré Doué also pose a clear threat in France.

Spain hold the edge over France in recent encounters

France have established one of the most competitive sporting projects in the world. Head coach Didier Deschamps has opted for a deep attacking unit, something similar to Luis Enrique’s PSG. Even though they have dominated soccer in recent years, Spain have been one of the few national teams capable of competing with them. In their most recent meetings, Spain have come out on top.

The last meeting between Spain and France took place on June 5, 2025, in the UEFA Nations League. There, Luis de la Fuente’s team secured a 5-4 victory, advancing to the tournament final. Before that match, they had faced each other in the semifinals of UEFA Euro 2024, where Spain also defeated France and went on to win the tournament. With that in mind, Pau Cubarsí has one thing clear: they already know how to beat France, so there is no fear.