Lamine Yamal believes that France should be cautious of Spain as the two teams prepare for a major World Cup semifinal in Arlington, Texas, this Tuesday.
Mikel Merino scored a decisive goal in the 88th minute to lead Spain to a 2-1 victory over Belgium on Friday, paving the way for a clash with France, who defeated Morocco 2-0 on Thursday.
– Injured Courtois exits in tears before Spain’s decisive goal
– Spain advances to semis, but must improve a lackluster attack
This will mark the third encounter between the two nations in three years, with Spain coming out on top in their previous matches during the semifinals of the 2024 European Championships and the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
“If France should fear anyone, it’s us,” Yamal remarked to reporters after Spain’s win over Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. “We’ve beaten them twice before. Honestly, I believe we are the two best teams in the World Cup, so we’ll see what occurs, but we are not afraid.”
This semifinal will be Spain’s second in World Cup history and their first since claiming the title in 2010. France is aiming to reach their third consecutive World Cup final, having won in 2018 and finished as runners-up to Argentina four years later.
“The expectations are incredibly high for the upcoming match,” stated Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. “We are focused on this next game and fully aware of our opponent’s skill. However, we believe we have what it takes to overcome France. We possess the talent and are ready for the semifinal. We’ve faced them before and have been successful. It will be a challenging and energetic match, and we need to be at our best.”
Both France and Spain were considered among the favorites at the tournament in North America, but Spain has struggled to find their best form despite reaching the semifinals.
Their campaign began with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, followed by wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, which carried them into the knockout stages.
They secured a win against Austria, but needed late goals — both scored by Arsenal‘s Merino — to defeat Portugal and Belgium.
Yamal, who recently returned from a hamstring injury to participate in the finals, mentioned that opposing teams’ defensive strategies often hinder Spain’s ability to showcase their talents.
“It may seem like we aren’t playing at our best, but every team sets up defensively against us,” Yamal explained. “No one has played us head-to-head, but ultimately, we secured the win again today. That’s what matters most. We are thrilled to be in the semifinals. We have worked hard for this moment and now want to make it to the final.”
The Barcelona winger, who turns 19 on Monday, has netted one goal in six appearances during the tournament so far.