France stand on the brink of another piece of football history as Didier Deschamps prepares his side for a mouthwatering FIFA World Cup semifinal against Spain at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday night.
Victory in Arlington would see Les Bleus reach a third consecutive World Cup final, a feat achieved by only two nations before them, underlining the remarkable consistency the French have enjoyed on the biggest stage.
Having eased past Morocco in the quarterfinals with a composed and professional display, France now faces arguably its toughest challenge of the tournament.
Standing in their way are the reigning European champions, Spain, whose possession-based football and attacking quality have made them one of the standout teams in North America.
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The meeting also carries extra significance following Spain’s 2-1 victory over France in the UEFA Euro 2024 semifinal. Deschamps will be eager to settle that score while guiding his side one step closer to lifting a third World Cup title.
The biggest selection headache for the French manager comes in midfield. Aurélien Tchouaméni has recovered from the groin injury that ruled him out of the quarterfinal, but Manu Koné impressed during France’s victory over Morocco.
Deschamps must now decide whether to restore his experienced Real Madrid midfielder or reward Koné for his solid performance.
Should Tchouaméni be declared fully fit, he is expected to partner Adrien Rabiot in the double pivot. Rabiot’s energy, ball-winning ability and tactical discipline will be crucial as France looks to disrupt Spain’s rhythm in midfield and deny players such as Pedri and Rodri time on the ball.
Mike Maignan is expected to retain his place between the posts after keeping consecutive clean sheets in the knockout rounds. The defensive quartet should consist of Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and Lucas Digne, with Saliba and Upamecano developing into one of the tournament’s most dependable centre-back partnerships.
Koundé will have an important role both defensively and offensively, while Digne faces the daunting task of containing the explosive Lamine Yamal on France’s left flank.
Further forward, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise are expected to continue supporting captain Kylian Mbappé.
Dembélé has been one of France’s most dangerous creative outlets throughout the competition, while Olise has seamlessly carried his impressive club form onto the international stage with intelligent movement and incisive passing.
On the opposite wing, Désiré Doué is tipped to keep his starting place ahead of Bradley Barcola. Although Barcola offers blistering pace in behind opposing defences, Doué’s technical quality and ability to operate in tight spaces could prove invaluable against Spain’s compact defensive structure.
All eyes will once again be on Mbappé. The French superstar continues to rewrite World Cup history after becoming the competition’s all-time leading knockout-stage scorer with 12 goals. Despite missing from the penalty spot in the previous round, he still found the net and remains France’s biggest attacking weapon heading into the semifinal.
With a place in the World Cup final at stake, Deschamps is unlikely to make sweeping changes. France possesses the experience, defensive solidity and attacking firepower to trouble any opponent, but overcoming a confident Spanish side will require another disciplined performance.
If Mbappé and his supporting cast deliver once more, Les Bleus could be just 90 minutes away from another date with football history.
France predicted lineup vs Spain
Mike Maignan; Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué; Kylian Mbappé.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026
France national football team 2026
Senegal national football team 2026