The World Cup semifinals are set to begin with two highly anticipated matches. The four top-ranked teams in the world — Spain, Argentina, France, and England — will compete for a spot in the final.
The first semifinal features France against Spain on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. The second match pits Argentina against England on Wednesday in Atlanta. The winners will then face off in the final on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente noted that these semifinal games could easily be World Cup finals themselves. He stressed the need for his team to avoid mistakes and maintain control. Both semifinal matches will be played indoors, avoiding the high heat and humidity seen in earlier games.
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Start Your News DetoxFrance vs. Spain: A Clash of Styles
This match is a classic showdown between a powerful offense and a strong defense. France boasts one of the tournament's best attacks, while Spain has shown the best defense. Both teams have won the World Cup recently, with Spain winning in 2010 and France in 2018. France was also the runner-up in 2022.
France is considered the favorite. Their attack features Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise. Mbappé leads the World Cup with eight goals, Dembélé has five goals, and Olise has five assists.
Spain's defense has been exceptional, allowing only one goal in six World Cup games. This single goal came during their 2-1 quarterfinal win against Belgium. If Spain wins the World Cup without giving up another goal, they will set a new record for the fewest goals conceded by a champion.
Spain's young star, Lamine Yamal, turned 19 on Monday. He was a key player in the 2024 Euros but has been recovering from a hamstring injury this spring. Yamal has scored one goal in this World Cup, his first. French midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery called him "extraordinary." Coach de la Fuente hopes Yamal will have a breakout performance in the semifinal or final.
Mbappé also had an injury scare in France's quarterfinal against Morocco, leaving the game with what he called a "minor" leg injury. However, coach Didier Deschamps stated that Mbappé would be "100 percent" for the semifinal. Teammate Zaïre-Emery added that Mbappé "does not want to lose against Spain" and will do everything he can.
Argentina vs. England: A Quest for Glory
Argentina last won the World Cup in 2022. England, the birthplace of soccer, has not won the trophy since 1966 and has not reached the final since then. A win on Wednesday would be historic for England.
England has faced tough challenges to reach the semifinals. They secured a narrow win over Mexico in the Round of 16, playing with ten men for much of the game. They then defeated Norway in the quarterfinal, holding star attacker Erling Haaland scoreless. Defender Jarell Quansah will miss the semifinal due to a red card against Mexico.
Argentina's path has also been difficult, with all three of their knockout games going down to the wire. They played extra time against Cape Verde and Switzerland, and mounted a late comeback against Egypt. Despite these close calls, Argentina has also shown moments of brilliant play.
This World Cup is likely the last for 39-year-old superstar Lionel Messi. He continues to perform effectively, scoring eight goals and assisting two others. Messi had a record streak of scoring in nine consecutive World Cup matches, which ended against Switzerland, though he did provide an assist in that game.
The Golden Boot Race
The race for the Golden Boot, awarded to the top scorer, is tight. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé both have eight goals. Mbappé currently holds the tiebreaker with three assists compared to Messi's two. Both players have two more chances to add to their tally in the semifinal and either the final or the third-place game.
England's star scorers, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, are also in contention, each having scored six goals so far.
