Spanish teenager Lamine Yamal has issued a confident warning to France ahead of one of the biggest games of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting La Roja have no reason to fear Didier Deschamps’ side after booking their place in the semi-finals.Fresh from Spain’s dramatic 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium at the Los Angeles Stadium, the Barcelona winger said France should instead be worried about facing a Spanish side that has repeatedly got the better of them in recent years. The two European heavyweights now meet in Arlington, Texas, with a place in the World Cup final at stake.
Yamal says that France should be the team with concerns
Spain secured their place in the last four thanks to another decisive intervention from substitute Mikel Merino, who scored the late winner against Belgium after Fabián Ruiz’s opener had been canceled out by Charles De Ketelaere.Speaking after the win, Yamal rejected suggestions that Spain should approach the semi-final with caution.“If France should fear anyone, it is us,” Yamal told reporters.“We kicked them out [before]. We beat him twice [from Euro 2024 and the 2024-25 Nations League]. Honestly, I think we’re the two best teams in the World Cup, so we’ll see what happens, but we’re not afraid.”The 18-year-old’s confidence is rooted in Spain’s recent record against Les Bleus. La Roja knocked out France in the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2024 before beating them again in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, meaning France have not beaten Spain since before those meetings.
Spain prepares for another meeting with familiar rivals
The semi-final will mark the third competitive meeting between Spain and France in the past three years, adding another chapter to what has quickly become one of international football’s defining rivalries.Spain reached only their second World Cup semi-final, their first since lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010. Their victory over Belgium also extended the longest unbeaten run in the history of the national team to 36 matches since the 1-0 defeat to Colombia in March 2024, with a record 27 wins and nine draws in that period.Although Spain have progressed into the tournament unbeaten, their path has not always been straight.They opened the competition with a goalless draw against Cape Verde before recording wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay for their group. Spain comfortably defeated Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 before meeting Portugal and Belgium through late Merino winners in knockout games.Belgium’s quarter-final equalizer ended Spain’s run without conceding in the knockout rounds, but a 2-1 final victory preserved their unbeaten campaign.Yamal acknowledged that Spain did not always appear dominant, attributing that largely to the cautious approach adopted by the opponents.“It might look like we’re not playing well, but every team we play is going against us.”“No one went to the top with us, but in the end we got back the victory today. That’s the most important thing.”“We are really happy to be in the semi-finals. We have been here for a long time and we want to stay until the final.”The Barcelona winger, who turns 19 on Monday, has contributed one goal in his six World Cup appearances as he continues to play a central creation role in Luis de la Fuente’s attack.
De la Fuente shares the confidence of his players
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente struck a similarly confident tone after knocking out Belgium, while underlining the challenge France will present.“The expectations are very, very high for the next game,” De la Fuente said.“We are focused on this next game and very aware of the potential of our opponent in the next game. But we are also very clear that we are able to beat France.”“We had a semi-final against them. We had success. The game will be very demanding. It will be energetic. We need to be the best version of ourselves.”The Spain manager also suggested that the sense of respect runs both ways.“It’s fair to think that we have to work to beat him; I think they’re just as worried.”“We are the only team that has beaten them two games in a row. A great team is going to face another great team.”France arrives in Arlington with an equally formidable record. Didier Deschamps’ side won all six games in the tournament, defeating Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco in the knockout rounds after topping Group I with maximum points. Captain Kylian Mbappé leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals and has been the driving force behind France’s bid for a third successive World Cup finals.With both nations still unbeaten in North America and carrying recent wins over each other in the competition, Tuesday’s semi-final promises to be one of the defining matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.