France and Spain have confirmed their starting eleven for Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final in Dallas. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni is back from injury for France, while Spain will be unchanged from the quarter-finals.
The reigning European and 2010 World Cup winners came from the underdog to beat Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals, thanks to Mikel Merino’s 88th-minute goal. France won 2-0 against Morocco after goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in the second half.
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The winner of this semi-final will face England or Argentina in the final on Sunday evening in New Jersey. England and Argentina play their semi-final on Wednesday evening.
France’s confirmed line-up against Spain
Aurélien Tchouaméni is back from injury and replaces Manu Koné in midfield – one of two changes from the quarter-finals.
Désiré Doué will have to give way to PSG winger Bradley Barcola. According to French media, Didier Deschamps wanted more speed than technical perfection against Spain.
France’s starting eleven: Mike Maignan – Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne – Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot – Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola – Kylian Mbappé
Substitutes: Brice Samba, Robin Risser, Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konaté, Theo Hernández, Lucas Hernández, Maxence Lacroix, Manu Koné, N’Golo Kanté, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche, Marcus Thuram, Désiré Doué, Jean-Philippe Mateta
Spain’s full line-up
Spain will field the same eleven as against Belgium.
Spain’s starting eleven: Unai Simón – Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella – Rodri, Fabián Ruiz – Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Álex Baena – Mikel Oyarzabal
Substitutes: David Raya, Joan García, Marc Pubill, Álex Grimaldo, Eric García, Marcos Llorente, Mikel Merino, Gavi, Martín Zubimendi, Pedri, Ferran Torres, Yeremy Pino, Nico Williams, Víctor Muñoz, Borja Iglesias
Where to watch France vs Spain?
In Norway, TV 2 broadcasts the match live.
France vs. Spain key figures
- The teams last met at the 2006 World Cup, when France won 3–1 in the last eight.
- Spain have won seven of their last ten meetings, losing two and drawing one.
- Spain won the Euro 2024 semi-finals 2-1, with Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo turning the game around.
- Yamal scored twice as Spain won 5-4 over France in the Nations League final last summer.
- Charles De Ketelaere’s goal for Belgium is the only goal Spain have conceded in this World Cup.
- France could become the third team in history – after Germany (1982, 1986, 1990) and Brazil (1994, 1998, 2002) – to reach three World Cup finals in a row.
- Mbappé and Dembélé have created 19 chances for each other in this championship – only three pairs in history have created more.
- With eight goals, Mbappé shares the lead in the battle for the Golden Boot with Lionel Messi, but he is ahead in assists (3-2).
- Mbappé has scored 12 goals in World Cup finals – more than any other player. He has scored in the round of 32, the round of eight, the quarter-finals and the final, but has never scored in a World Cup semi-final.
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