France face Spain in World Cup semi-final two years after Euro 2024 exit
France face Spain in World Cup semi-final two years after Euro 2024 exit
France midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery said the team seeks revenge for their Euro 2024 semi-final loss, while coach Didier Deschamps downplayed that motivation.
- Warren Zaïre-Emery said France wants to win against Spain and exact revenge for the Euro 2024 semi-final defeat.
- Didier Deschamps said there is no revenge and the past is in the past, focusing only on the World Cup semi-final.
- Deschamps confirmed Kylian Mbappé is fit for the match, having trained despite an ankle knock sustained against Morocco.
- Deschamps said Spain are the favourites for the tie, adding that he does not want to add extra pressure on Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
Latest developments
- Lamine Yamal turned 19 on the eve of the World Cup semi-final and said he wants a win against France as a birthday present.
- Yamal insisted he feels no pressure ahead of the high-stakes match, appearing relaxed and confident in the pre-match press conference.
- Didier Deschamps said France intends to compete for possession rather than sit back and counterattack, setting up a midfield battle against Spain.
What happened since
France seeks third World Cup bronze in third-place match against England
France will face England in the 2026 World Cup third-place match on Saturday after both teams lost their semifinal matches.
- France lost to Spain in the semifinal, while England lost 2–1 to Argentina in the other semifinal.
- France has played three previous third-place matches, winning in 1958 and 1986 and losing in 1982.
- Just Fontaine scored four goals in the 1958 third-place match, finishing the tournament with a record 13 goals.
Kylian Mbappé and France Face Third-Place Playoff After World Cup Semi-Final Defeat
France has lost to Spain in the World Cup semi-finals, with Kylian Mbappé now preparing for Saturday's third-place playoff.
- France was eliminated from the World Cup after losing to Spain in the semi-final.
- Mbappé will play in the third-place match on Saturday in Miami.
- Mbappé leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, tied with Lionel Messi but ahead on assists.
- Mbappé said France must "move on to the next chapter" and "put this failure behind us."
Coverage
Read the original reportingThis brief was compiled from 4 outlets, 1 reporting in Arabic and 3 in English, over 14 hours of coverage. Each is listed below with the headline it led on, so you can compare them yourself.
ذكرى سيئة وتدريب غير مكتمل.. إصابة مبابي ترعب فرنسا قبل موقعة إسبانيا
‘Kylian is fine’: France ready, full-strength for Spain World Cup semifinal
Lamine Yamal enjoys birthday with a kickabout and a show before France World Cup semi-final test
World Cup 2026: Didier Deschamps predicts 'spectacular' France v Spain semi-final
‘We have a different team’: Revenge for Euro exit drives France ahead of Spain semi-final
France unleashed: reinvention could earn Deschamps all-time great status | Nick Ames
Every story is brought together from multiple sources into a single, clear summary — with every perspective kept, not flattened.