World Cup Semifinals: How Each Finalist Scores
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- France leads the tournament with 3 counterattack goals, all scored as second goals when already leading 1-0; Mbappé sits on 8 goals, Michael Olise on 5 assists, though Olise has yet to score despite 2.1 xG from 17 shots
- Spain has the fewest goals (8) of any semifinalist and has needed stoppage-time heroics, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring winners in the 88th minute against Belgium and the 91st against Portugal
- Lamine Yamal has been statistically overwhelming (78 ground duels attempted, tournament-best 36 won, 48 one-on-one attempts) but has produced just 1 goal and 0 assists across 6 matches as opponents isolate him on the wing
- England's goal-scoring has been defined by physicality: 6 header-related scoring possessions, 5 involving set pieces, and a knockout-round average of 1.4 shots per scoring possession — the most of any semifinalist
- Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham share England's scoring lead at 6 goals apiece, with Bellingham netting 4 in 2 matches to beat Mexico (in Mexico City's altitude) and Norway (in Miami's midday heat)
- Mbappé matched Messi's 8-goal tournament tally and reached 20 career FIFA World Cup goals with a tiebreaking strike against Morocco, and France's scoring bursts once they open a match are extreme (3 goals in 30 minutes vs Senegal, 3 in 25 vs Norway)
Why it matters: Each semifinalist carries a tactical identity that directly clashes with its opponent: France's vertical counterattacks face a Spain side that defends with the ball and has allowed just one goal all tournament, while England's set-piece-and-rebound physicality meets an Argentina squad the source didn't fully detail. Spain's back line — Upamecano, Saliba, Koundé, Digne — has won 62% of ground duels, meaning Yamal may finally find the space he's been denied, or Spain's isolation of Mbappé could neutralize the most decisive finisher left in the field.
