France vs Spain semifinal: Key stats
France's exciting attack led by Kylian Mbappe take on a technically accomplished Spain team in the first semi-final of the World Cup on Wednesday [1am, Bangladesh Time].
HIGHLIGHTS
**This will be only the second World Cup meeting between France and Spain. Their previous encounter came in the last 16 in 2006, when France came from behind to win 3-1 with two goals in the final 10 minutes.
**Didier Deschamps is set to take charge of his 26th World Cup match, overtaking Germany’s Helmut Schön for the outright record.
**Spain’s Luis de la Fuente has overseen 13 World Cup and UEFA European Championship matches without losing – the most by any manager – winning 12 and drawing one.
We are the only ones to have beaten them twice in a row, but this third match will be very different. These are two very high-level teams who are going to face each other.
**France can emulate Germany and Brazil by reaching three consecutive World Cup finals. Germany did so in 1982, 1986 and 1990, while Brazil followed in 1994, 1998 and 2002.
**Spain have lost just one of their 27 matches at major tournaments since the start of the 2018 World Cup, winning 16 and drawing 10. Excluding penalty shootouts, their only defeat was a 2-1 loss to Japan at the 2022 World Cup.
**It will be France’s eighth appearance in the final four of the World Cup, with only Germany reaching this stage more often (12).
**Kylian Mbappe’s eight goals have put him level with Lionel Messi in this edition’s Golden Boot race. His all-time World Cup knockout tally now stands at 12 – the most by any player. He has scored in the round of 32 twice, round of 16 five times, quarterfinal once and final four times, but is yet to score in two semifinal appearances.
What changed compared to 2018 and 2022? In 2018, nobody expected us to succeed. In 2022, we were the defending champions and very often the defending champions are out in the last 16. This time, everybody has been expecting us (to win) before the first ball of the tournament.
**Mbappe has also been a major creative force. He and Ousmane Dembele have created 19 chances for each other – 10 from Mbappe to Dembele and nine the other way – the second-most by any duo.
**Mikel Merino became the first player in World Cup history to score the winner in two knockout matches as a substitute, with his goals against Portugal and Belgium helping Spain reach the semifinals.
**Across seven semifinal appearances at major tournaments, Spain’s only elimination came at Euro 2020, when they lost 4-2 on penalties to Italy after a 1-1 draw.
**Of Lamine Yamal’s seven goals for Spain, three have come against France in two matches, making Les Bleus his favourite opponent. He first stunned them with a long-range strike in Spain’s 2-1 comeback win in the Euro 2024 semifinals, before scoring twice in a 5-4 win over France in the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
Road to semis
SPAIN’S ROAD TO SEMIS
Group Stage
Vs Cape Verde 0 - 0
Vs Saudi Arabia 4-0
Vs Uruguay 1-0
Round of 32
Vs Austria 3 – 0
Round of 16
Vs Portugal 1 - 0
Quarterfinal
Vs Belgium 2 – 1
FRANCE’S ROAD TO SEMIS
Group Stage
Vs Senegal 3-1
Vs Iraq 3-0
Vs Norway 4-1
Round of 32
Vs Sweden 3 – 0
Round of 16
Vs Paraguay 1 - 0
Quarterfinal
Vs Morocco 2-0
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Comments