A look ahead to a mouthwatering World Cup semi-final between France and Spain

[p]No one is likely to forget the last time these two European giants collided, in June 2025.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] on record-breaking unbeaten run[/h2][p]On that occasion, the semi-final of the Nations League, La Roja [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/france-QkGeVG1n/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=dKFWcs0E"]triumphed 5-4[/a] in what was an epic, and some might say chaotic confrontation.[/p][p]Both [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lamine-yamal/lAt3vEub/"]Lamine Yamal[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] were on target in that match, and it's difficult to look past either as being the difference makers in this game.[/p][image alt="Spain's current form" id="fe6d78f7-b63c-47c0-a497-c2263addf89f" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0e859a09-b8cf-4982-84b1-541e5d17250f" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Luis de la Fuente's side can continue their record-breaking unbeaten run with a victory, which would extend that record to 37 matches, equalling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]Italy[/a]'s all-time mark that was set in 2021. [/p][p]The last time that Spain tasted defeat in 90 minutes came against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colombia/G02s4PCS/"]Colombia[/a] in a friendly back in March 2024, and since then, they've won 27 matches and drawn nine others.[/p][h2]Six wins in the last seven semi-finals[/h2][p]Until [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-ketelaere-charles/2eOa3r1T/"]Charles De Ketelaere[/a] equalised for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] in their quarter-final, the Spaniards had also gone 649 minutes without conceding a goal at the World Cup, too.[/p][p]Oddly enough, the wins over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria/naHiWdnt/"]Austria[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] and Belgium were the first World Cup knockout wins La Roja had managed since they won the tournament back in 2010.[/p][embed guid="f69784ef-b640-4948-b84f-64edb096d04c" url="https://x.com/SpainIsFootball/status/2076247176431190130" social-type="twitter" /][p]Spain's Mikels - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oyarzabal-mikel/dQ1P695O/"]Oyarzabal[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Merino[/a] - have been important to their progression to this stage, with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] man coming off the bench in the last two games to score the winners, and the former already plundering four goals in what has been his first experience of the tournament.[/p][p]De la Fuente has the accolade of managing the most games at the World Cup and European Championship without losing (W12, D1), and given that La Roja have been successful in six of their last seven major tournament semi-finals, too, the manager is likely to be confident of another win here.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /][h2]Best defence vs best attack[/h2][p]With the best defence in the tournament now coming up against arguably the best attacking trio in Mbappe, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a], it's a tantalising prospect for the neutrals.[/p][p]Until [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bellingham-jude/QNvlPm7s/"]Jude Bellingham[/a]'s brace for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] had become only the second side in the last 50 years to have two players (Mbappe and Dembele)  score 5+ goals at the same FIFA World Cup, after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a] in 2002 ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ronaldo/KQjvOGor/"]Ronaldo[/a] eight, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rivaldo/f7VZ7RpI/"]Rivaldo[/a] five).[/p][embed guid="3f318b7c-9292-4f87-ac3f-1e0cddb30703" url="https://x.com/OptaJoe/status/2076150870031417469" social-type="twitter" /][p]Bellingham (six) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kane-harry/v5HSlEAa/"]Harry Kane[/a] (also six) quickly saw the Three Lions join that illustrious group, however.[/p][p]It's only the third time all four semi-finalists at a World Cup are former winners, too, after the 1970 and 1990 tournaments.[/p][h2]Deschamps hoping to extend WC win record[/h2][p]Didier Deschamps, who will leave Les Bleus once the tournament is over, will at least break one more record before his departure.[/p][p]Whether or not France progresses to Sunday's final, Deschamps, who equalled Helmut Schon’s record of managing 25 games at the finals in their last game against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a], will go one better with the semi-final appearance.[/p][embed guid="bfe6803c-a100-49c8-ae37-9ab60965a8a4" url="https://x.com/equipedefrance/status/2076464308725199263" social-type="twitter" /][p]That victory also gave Deschamps his 20th World Cup win in charge, which is another record that's likely to stand the test of time, not to mention that France's third consecutive semi-final appearance has also not been repeated to date.[/p][p]It's the eighth time that Les Bleus have made the last four of the tournament, with only Italy (12 appearances) getting to this stage on more occasions.[/p][h2]France have lost the last two meetings[/h2][p]In terms of the head-to-head results, Spain does have the edge, having won 18 of the previous encounters, drawing seven and losing 13.[/p][p]The two most recent games against Les Bleus have seen La Roja triumph in that 5-4 semi-final, and the 2024 European Championship semi-final (2-1).[/p][image alt="France v Spain - Recent head-to-head encounters" id="cdab296d-23d0-4b46-9bf6-6c4745111a19" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="04e29a1b-efad-45f4-b6a3-d20c27ffe896" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]In the last 10 meetings, Spain have won seven, which perhaps indicates that they've become something of a nemesis for France.[/p][p]Given that the French have averaged the most shots on target per game of any nation at the 2026 World Cup (7.8), and only four of Spain’s last 16 games saw both teams score, something has to give here.[/p][h2]Winner takes all[/h2][p]La Roja are likely to have the lion's share of possession, but must take their chances if and when they arrive.[/p][p]Lamine has been quiet by his own lofty standards, and will again have his work cut out in his tussles with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/digne-lucas/v9Ux4sua/"]Lucas Digne[/a].[/p][image alt="France v Spain - Live win probability" id="ef68ffc8-d16d-47d0-8e60-22f35452d235" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="e3874dca-1cf6-4767-8119-9175f3627ad8" original-width="1362" original-height="760" /][p]If the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] man continues in the same vein as he has to date in the tournament, then the Spaniards need the likes of Oyarzabal, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olmo-dani/2oVBOlPg/"]Dani Olmo[/a] and others to come to the fore.[/p][p]At the other end, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cubarsi-pau/UgTrNwCF/"]Pau Cubarsi[/a] will rekindle his rivalry with Mbappe, whilst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/porro-pedro/nTebDzHC/"]Pedro Porro[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cucurella-marc/QTynbZd3/"]Marc Cucurella[/a] will have to be at their very best to curtail the consistent raiding of Olise and Dembele.[/p][p]Strap yourselves in...[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/france-QkGeVG1n/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=pU0PQ9nR"]Follow the match with Flashscore here.[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]