Spain teenager Lamine Yamal has issued a bold 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 they booked their place in the semifinals.Fresh from Spain’s impressive 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium at the Los Angeles Stadium, the Barcelona winger said France should be worried about a Spanish side that has beaten them repeatedly in recent years. The two European heavyweights now meet in Arlington, Texas, with a place in the final World Cup at stake.
Yamal says France should be a worried team
Spain secured a place in the last four thanks to another intervention from substitute Mikel Merino, who scored a late goal against Belgium after Fabián Ruiz’s opener was canceled out by Charles De Ketelaere.Commenting on the victory, Yamal rejected suggestions that Spain would reach the final with caution.“If France should fear anyone, it’s us,” Yamal told reporters.“We got them out [before]. We beat them twice [from Euro 2024 and the 2024-25 Nations League]. Honestly, I think we are the two best teams in the World Cup, so we will see what happens, but we are not afraid. “The 18-year-old’s confidence comes from Spain’s recent record against Les Bleus. La Roja knocked France out of UEFA Euro 2024 before defeating them again in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League, meaning France have not beaten Spain since they met.
Spain is planning another meeting with the familiar
The semi-final will be the third competitive meeting between Spain and France in the past three years, adding another chapter to what has been a bitter rivalry between the world’s best players.Spain have reached their second World Cup semifinal, their first since lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010. Their victory over Belgium also extended the longest unbeaten run in the national team’s history to 36 games since a 1-0 loss to Colombia in March 2024, with a record 27 wins and nine draws during that period.Although Spain progressed through the tournament unbeaten, their path was not always straightforward.They opened the tournament with a goalless draw against Cape Verde before recording victories over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to lift their group. Spain comfortably defeated Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 before edging Portugal and Belgium through late winners Merino in consecutive games.Belgium’s draw in the quarterfinals ended Spain’s unbeaten run in the knockout stages, but a late 2-1 win kept their unbeaten campaign alive.Yamal admitted that Spain did not always look dominant, saying that it was mainly because of the caution that the opposition took.“It might look like we’re not playing well, but every team we play is going to fight us.”“Nobody went toe-to-toe with us, but in the end we won again today. That’s the most important thing.”“We are very happy to be in the semifinal. 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 scored one goal in his six World Cup appearances as he continues to play a key role in Luis de la Fuente’s attack.
De la Fuente shares his players’ confidence
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente did the same after eliminating Belgium, emphasizing the challenge France will present.“Expectations are very high for the next game,” said De la Fuente.“We are focusing on the next game and we know very well what our opponent can do in the next game. We are also making sure that we can beat France.”“We played in the semifinals, we did well, the game has been very difficult. It will be powerful. We need to have the best version of us.”The Spanish manager also said that respect goes both ways.“It’s good to think we’re going to work to beat them; I think they’re worried.”“We are the only team that has won two games in a row. A great team will meet another great team.”France arrives at Arlington with a formidable record. Didier Deschamps’ side have won all six of their matches in the tournament, defeating Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco in the finals after going through Group I with the most points. Captain Kylian Mbappé leads the Golden Boot competition with eight goals and has helped France win a third consecutive World Cup.Both nations are unbeaten in North America and are recent winners of the tournament, with Tuesday’s semifinals promising to be one of the most notable matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
