Spain booked their spot in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 win over Belgium, setting up a mouthwatering clash against France on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas Stadium.
Ahead of the match, Lamine Yamal made clear just how much he’s been looking forward to this exact matchup. “Really excited. When the World Cup started, we were all expecting this match. I think we’re the two best teams in the tournament,” Yamal said after the win over Belgium.
The Barcelona winger also previewed how Spain plans to approach the game tactically, expecting France to come out aggressively before settling into their own rhythm. “I expect a team that comes at us, but not for the whole match. We’ll play the way we know how,” he added.
Yamal didn’t stop there, sending a pointed message about which side should be more concerned heading into the semifinal. “I think that if France has to fear anyone, it’s us, as we’re the ones who have knocked them out before,” he said.
Lamine Yamal celebrates a goal vs Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
Yamal leans on Spain’s 2024 Euro semifinal triumph
The comment is a direct reference to the 2024 Euro semifinal, where Spain eliminated France 2-1 in Munich, with a 16-year-old Yamal scoring a stunning long-range goal before Dani Olmo added the winner.
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Spain went on to win that tournament, and now, with both nations meeting again on the World Cup’s biggest stage, Yamal made it clear he sees history as being on Spain’s side.
Yamal and Mbappe’s numbers heading into the semifinal
The individual battle between the two biggest stars adds another layer to the matchup. Kylian Mbappe arrives as the tournament’s outright top scorer, with 8 goals and 3 assists through France’s five matches, sitting atop the Golden Boot race (alongside Lionel Messi).
Yamal, by contrast, has just 1 goal and no assists in 6 appearances for Spain, though the underlying numbers tell a different story — he leads the entire tournament in chances created with 17, and has racked up nine shots across his last two matches alone, suggesting a breakthrough could be close even if the finishing hasn’t clicked yet.
