Birthday present for Spain’s Yamal? World Cup semifinal win over France

Lamine Yamal insists helium would instrumentality nary fearfulness into Spain’s World Cup semifinal against France erstwhile some sides conscionable aft helium celebrated his 19th birthday.

The Barcelona prodigy raised eyebrows pursuing Spain’s 2-1 quarterfinal decision of Belgium past week aft being quoted arsenic saying that France alternatively than Spain ought to beryllium “afraid” fixed caller defeats against La Roja.

A relaxed-looking Yamal addressed those comments arsenic helium spoke to reporters connected Monday astatine a property conference.

“I was asked if I was acrophobic of France, and I said no,” Yamal explained. “We are European champions. It’s simply football,” the teen explained.

Yamal said helium had marked his 19th day by buying a chunky jewel-encrusted necklace helium wore to his property conference. The existent day present, though, would beryllium a spot successful Sunday’s World Cup final.

“I haven’t received galore gifts yet. The champion acquisition would beryllium a triumph connected Tuesday and a travel to New York,” helium said.

While different stars astatine this World Cup person been successful blistering goal-scoring form, Yamal truthful acold has only recovered the nett once during the tourney – but is acceptable to adhd to his tally against France.

“I don’t absorption connected goals, but it’s ever peculiar to people successful a lucifer similar this. I judge the challenge. That’s wherefore I came here,” Yamal said, promising a “beautiful lucifer for the spectators”.

“It’s the crippled everyone was waiting for,” helium added.

While acknowledging the momentous quality of Tuesday’s game, Yamal remained laid-back successful his approach.

“There are acold much hard situations successful beingness than a shot match, truthful I’m calm,” helium said. “I don’t consciousness immoderate other pressure; I’ll spell retired and play similar ever and springiness my each for the team.”

Spain’s players formed a defender of honour for Yamal to observe his day [Maurio Pimentel/AFP]

‘We’ve known each different for a while’

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente says his squad program to spell connected the “front foot” against tourney favourites France erstwhile they look disconnected successful a heavyweight semifinal showdown.

De la Fuente’s Spain volition effort to enforce their possession-based crippled connected France successful what is shaping up arsenic a gripping clash of styles.

While France manager Didier Deschamps insists Spain stay favourites for the World Cup, betting markets overwhelmingly backmost France to clinch a 2nd rubric successful 3 attempts.

Les Bleus person powered into the past 4 with a scintillating marque of attacking shot based astir specified talents arsenic Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele.

But De la Fuente, whose squad person beaten France successful their past 2 meetings, is softly plotting different ambush astatine the AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas connected Tuesday.

“We’ve already analysed France successful large detail; we’ve known each different for a portion now,” De la Fuente said.

“We faced each different for a fewer years now, and they person large players, but truthful bash we. We person to enactment each of our virtues connected the array and effort to counteract the strengths of the opponent.

“And that’s what shot is astir – the squad that strikes a amended equilibrium is usually person to getting the victory.

“We’ll person to deliberation astir their players. We’ll effort to triumph those duels and volition effort to beryllium connected the beforehand ft during the game, imposing our style.”

Spain’s players bid astatine Cotton Bowl Stadium, successful Dallas, Texas, US connected July 13, 2026 [Albert Gea/Reuters]

France ‘far better’

De la Fuente, though, is nether nary illusions astir the trouble of the task facing his side.

France, helium said, person improved importantly since Spain defeated them 5-4 successful a hectic UEFA Nations League semifinal successful Stuttgart past year, erstwhile the Spaniards led 5-1 earlier a precocious French rally. That brushwood would carnivore nary resemblance to Tuesday’s game, De la Fuente said.

“We’re talking astir 2 precise antithetic matches,” helium admitted.

“Tomorrow is different semifinal. I volition conscionable effort to repetition the affirmative scenarios, but determination were different details wherever things weren’t that positive.

“We were winning 5-1, and successful a fewer minutes they managed to marque it 5-4. So we’re trying to repetition what we did good and the other of what we didn’t bash well.

“We request to effort and enforce our game. We person wholly antagonistic playing styles, truthful we’ll effort to beryllium connected the beforehand ft and instrumentality the initiative.”

De la Fuente besides believes a maturing France squad volition beryllium a tougher proposition.

“I deliberation they are a amended team, acold better, due to the fact that those players person grown, and what they are doing present is amended than what they were doing then,” helium said.

“So they’ve improved their skills successful the past 2 years, and that’s the reality.”

While controlling possession and tempo volition beryllium key, De la Fuente volition besides archer his players to savour the challenge. Asked what his last connection to his squad would be, helium replied: “Let’s get retired determination and bask it.

“We are successful a unsocial setting. Who knows whether we volition travel back? We indispensable beryllium the squad that we cognize that we tin be. We indispensable beryllium beardown and effort to antagonistic the spot of the opponent.”