France and Spain have each gone through this World Cup without ever trailing, and that perfect run now faces a direct knockout test in Dallas. Only one of Europe’s two unbeaten-by-the-scoreline powers will reach the final.
The semifinal brings together two teams that have rarely been this efficient under pressure. France has scored 14 goals and allowed only 2, while Spain has survived tense moments with late goals and a defense that has been nearly impossible to break down.
France’s attack has been ruthless
Kylian Mbappé has again been central to France’s surge, with eight goals to match Lionel Messi for the tournament lead. The France captain also has 20 goals in 20 World Cup matches and is one behind Messi’s career World Cup record of 21.
France entered the tournament as FIFA’s top-ranked team, and coach Didier Deschamps said Mbappé is physically fine after leaving the quarterfinal against Morocco in the 77th minute following a goal. Adrien Rabiot said the team is confident, but added that it still needs “this humility that has characterized us since the beginning of the competition.”
| Team | Goals Scored | Goals Allowed | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 14 | 2 | Mbappé has 8 tournament goals |
| Spain | 10 | 1 | Merino has delivered late winners |
Spain has leaned on late drama and a growing rhythm
Spain opened with a scoreless draw against surprising Cape Verde before finding its rhythm and outscoring opponents 10-1 since then. Mikel Merino has become the late difference-maker, scoring in the 88th minute against Belgium and again in second-half stoppage time against Portugal.
Goalkeeper Unai Simón set a World Cup record of 650 minutes without allowing a goal before Belgium scored in the 41st minute of Spain’s quarterfinal. Midfielder Alex Baena said the team needed time to catch its rhythm after being apart for so long, but he added that the team has improved with more games and training.
Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, has only one goal but has still been one of Spain’s most watched players. He has put 10 shots on target and entered the tournament while still managing a left hamstring issue that cost him the final weeks of the season with Barcelona.
A rematch with history behind it
France and Spain have met only once before at the World Cup, when France won 3-1 in the round of 16 in Germany in 2006. Since then, both countries have lifted the trophy, with Spain winning in 2010 and France in 2018.
Spain’s Yamal said France should be the side worried, noting that Spain had already knocked Les Bleus out in previous meetings. France defender Jules Koundé, who also plays for Barcelona, brushed off the comment as natural confidence from a teenager who trusts his own game.
The semifinal also comes at a historic point for the tournament, with all four remaining teams former World Cup champions for the first time since 1990. Argentina and England meet in the other semifinal, while the final is set for Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
For France, the stakes are especially high because a win would put the team in a position to chase a third straight World Cup final appearance, something only Brazil and Germany have done before. Spain, meanwhile, is trying to reach its first final since winning the title in 2010.
AT&T Stadium in North Texas has already hosted a tournament-high nine matches, and Dallas has seen several major World Cup moments during the month-long run. Messi scored three goals there across Argentina’s group games, while Cristiano Ronaldo ended his sixth and final World Cup in Spain’s round of 16 win over Portugal.