Ahmed Salem
France will face Spain in a match to determine who qualifies for the FIFA World Cup final, when they meet at Dallas Stadium in Texas on Tuesday evening, July 14. The match will kick off at 10:00 PM Cairo time.
France qualified for the semi-finals
The French team secured their place in the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in Boston last Thursday.
Kylian Mbappe, who missed a penalty, opened the scoring and set up a goal for Ousmane Dembele, leaving the two-time world champions just one game away from a third consecutive appearance in the final.
The French team was the most impressive in the tournament, delivering a fluid style of football that combined prolific goal scoring (16 goals in 6 matches) with defensive solidity (conceding only 2 goals). Their balance, team spirit, and composure were remarkable, making them the favorites to win the championship.
The absence of midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni is a major concern for France, as he missed the last two matches (although he was on the bench in the quarter-final).
However, Manu Koné replaced him smoothly. The French team is also concerned about Mbappé, who suffered an ankle injury against Morocco, but he is expected to lead the attack without any problems.
Spain qualified for the semi-finals
On the other hand, Spain secured their victory in the final moments against Belgium in the quarter-finals.
After the score was tied 1-1 with goals from Fabian Ruiz and Charles de Ketelaere, Mikel Merino scored the winning goal in the 88th minute to give Spain a 2-1 victory and qualify them for the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since winning the tournament in 2010.
Merino scored a late goal to secure victory over Portugal in the round of 16, as Spain demonstrated their strength and versatility.
The Spanish team has an unparalleled ability to control the course of the match through ball possession and a tight defense (which has conceded only one goal), but it will need to make a greater effort to overcome France.
Meanwhile, the list of injuries in the Spanish national team witnessed fluctuations during the tournament.
The appearance of Nico Williams as a substitute against Belgium was a morale boost, although the participation of Yeremi Pinot and Victor Munoz in the semi-final match remains doubtful.
What did Mbappe say about the France-Spain match?
“In this regard, French star Kylian Mbappe said: We are fully aware of the potential of this team, but that is not what wins matches.
He added: ”We are confident when we step onto the pitch, but we still have to prove ourselves before we can be called the invincible team, or any other title you wish to give us.”
Spain coach: We are superior to the opponent
For his part, the Spanish national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, commented on his team’s upcoming match against the French national team, saying: “France has exceptional capabilities, and so do we. We have very high expectations for the upcoming match.”.
He continued: We are aware of the great potential of the opponent we face, but we are also aware that they are the only team that has defeated them in the last two semi-final matches of the 2024 European Championship and the 2025 European Nations League.
History of direct confrontations between France and Spain
The French and Spanish national teams have met in 38 previous matches, with the Spanish team achieving 18 victories compared to 13 victories for the French team, while seven matches ended in a draw.
They have met once before in the World Cup, with France winning 3-1 in the round of 16 in 2006.
The last meeting between the two teams was very exciting, with Spain winning 5-4 in the UEFA Nations League semi-final in Stuttgart in June 2025.
