Spain’s confidence ahead of World Cup semifinal

By Sanjay Menon — 11 July 2026 — 3 min read

Spain’s confidence ahead of World Cup semifinal

Spain will face France in a highly anticipated World Cup 2026 semifinal, with Lamine Yamal of Barcelona expressing strong confidence in his team’s chances. Following Spain‘s 2-1 quarterfinal victory against Belgium in Los Angeles, Yamal stated that France should be concerned about facing Spain, citing recent encounters where La Roja has emerged victorious.

Yamal’s remarks came after Mikel Merino scored the winning goal for Spain against Belgium, following Fabián Ruiz‘s opener which was cancelled out by Charles De Ketelaere. This victory secured Spain‘s place in the semifinals, setting up a clash with France in Arlington, Texas.

The young winger, who will turn 19 on Monday, has contributed one goal in his World Cup appearances and plays a central creative role for Luis de la Fuente‘s side. He dismissed suggestions that Spain should approach the semifinal cautiously, asserting, “If France should fear anyone, it’s us.”

Yamal highlighted Spain‘s recent record against Les Bleus, noting that La Roja eliminated France in the UEFA Euro 2024 semifinals and defeated them again in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League. He believes that both teams are among the best in the World Cup and that Spain has no fear.

Team performance and coach’s perspective

Spain has maintained an unbeaten run in the national team’s history, extending to 36 matches since a 1-0 defeat to Colombia. This impressive streak includes 27 wins and nine draws. Their journey in the tournament saw them open with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, followed by victories over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to top their group.

In the knockout rounds, Spain comfortably defeated Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32. They then edged past Portugal and Belgium with late winners from Merino in successive matches. While Belgium‘s equalizer in the quarterfinal ended Spain‘s run without conceding in the knockout stages, the 2-1 victory ensured their unbeaten campaign continued.

Yamal acknowledged that Spain‘s performances might not always appear dominant, attributing this to opponents often adopting a cautious approach against them. He added that despite this, the team consistently secures victories, which is the most important aspect.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente echoed Yamal’s confidence, while also acknowledging the challenge France presents. He stated that the team is concentrated on the upcoming game and aware of France‘s potential, but is also confident in their ability to win. De la Fuente believes that the respect between the two teams is mutual, suggesting that France is equally wary of Spain.

France, the 1998 and 2018 World Cup winners, reached their third consecutive semifinal after defeating Morocco 2-0. Kylian Mbappé scored his eighth goal of the tournament, and Ousmane Dembélé added another. Didier Deschamps‘ side has won all six of their matches in the tournament, including knockout victories over Sweden, Paraguay, and Morocco, after securing maximum points in Group I.

Ticket information for the semifinal

The first semifinal match between France and Spain will take place at Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium). For fans looking to attend, official World Cup ticket lotteries, including the Visa Presale, Early Ticket Draw, and the post-draw Random Selection Draw, have concluded.

The Last-Minute Sales Phase, which launched on April 1, offers tickets on a first-come, first-served basis with immediate confirmation. This represents the final opportunity to purchase official tickets directly from FIFA. Additionally, the Official FIFA Resale Marketplace is open, serving as a primary authorized platform for buying and selling verified tickets at regulated prices.

Secondary marketplaces like StubHub are also an option for last-minute tickets, though fans are advised to check the terms and conditions of such sites. FIFA has implemented variable pricing for the 2026 World Cup, with tickets for the Group Stage starting as low as $60 for specific Supporter Tiers, while prices for the Final have reached up to a certain amount.

Source: goal.com