San Francisco Frontiers - France, Spain battle for place in World Cup final

More than a month after the expanded 48-team tournament kicked off, the first semi-final at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, promises to be a mouthwatering spectacle.

France coach Didier Deschamps insisted on Monday that European champions Spain would be favourites, despite his own team's dazzling performances.

"They attack well, they defend well, they don't concede goals. It could be a spectacular match," he said.

France have reached the past two World Cup finals, winning in 2018 in Russia and losing on penalties to Lionel Messi's Argentina four years ago in Qatar in an epic final despite a hat-trick from Mbappe.

Many observers feel Spain, who have built momentum during the tournament, have the quality to win a second title -- but first they need to stop France's star-studded frontline.

Real Madrid forward Mbappe, 27, has scored eight goals to lead the Golden Boot race alongside Messi.

Mbappe has an impressive supporting cast including Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise.

AFP learned that France will start pacy winger Bradley Barcola instead of his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Desire Doue on the left side of the attack.

Deschamps has chosen Barcola for his speed in an area of the pitch where he will face Spain star Lamine Yamal.

Defeat to Argentina in the final in Doha four years ago was a bitter experience for France, and the desire for a rematch is strong -- if Messi can lead his team past England in their semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Adding to France's motivation, France coach Didier Deschamps, part of an elite group to have won the World Cup as a player and a coach, is leaving after the tournament following 14 years in charge.

- 'Front foot' -

In Yamal, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Monday by buying a jewel-encrusted necklace, Spain have the player who will likely succeed Messi and Mbappe as football's next superstar.

The Barcelona forward has improved steadily and won the player-of-the-match award in the 2-1 quarter-final win against Belgium.

The teenager pointed out that Spain have the upper hand on France, having beaten them 2-1 in the semi-final of Euro 2024 and in a high-scoring Nations League semi-final in 2025 that finished 5-4.

His ideal birthday present, he insisted, would be a place in Sunday's World Cup final.

"The best gift would be a win on Tuesday and a trip to New York," he said.

Along with the attacking guile of Yamal and the goalscoring of Mikel Merino, Spain's run to the semi-final has been built on a rock-solid defence marshalled by French-born Aymeric Laporte.

Belgium's goal in the quarter-final was the first Spain have conceded in the entire tournament.

Coach Luis de la Fuente, whose team play a possession-based style, said his team would go on the "front foot" against the French.

"We'll have to think about their players. We'll try to win those duels and will try to be on the front foot during the game, imposing our style," he said.

The winning team will face either England or Argentina, who will lock horns in the latest chapter of one of the game's most compelling rivalries.

The history of matches between the nations is peppered with incidents, set against a lingering sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands, known in Spanish as the Malvinas, in the South Atlantic Ocean.

The encounter takes place 40 years after Diego Maradona's infamous "Hand of God" goal contributed to a 2-1 win for Argentina at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

England captain Harry Kane, who is competing against Messi and Mbappe for the Golden Boot, said his team would not be distracted by emotional baggage around the fixture.

"From a player's point of view it's us against a great team, who are smart, who are tactical, who know how to buy fouls, know how to slow the game down -- like many different teams you come up against throughout your whole career," he told ITV.

M.Gonzalez--SFF