France and Spain Clash in World Cup Semi-Final in Dallas
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- France and Spain meet in Dallas on Tuesday for a World Cup semi-final, with the winner advancing to the July 19 final in New Jersey.
- Kylian Mbappe has scored 8 goals in 6 games (tied for the Golden Boot with Messi), leads the tournament with 11 goal contributions, and surpassed Miroslav Klose's record with 19 World Cup goals.
- Mbappe overtook Olivier Giroud as France's all-time leading goalscorer with 64 goals in 104 games, after netting 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid last season.
- Lamine Yamal turned 19 on Monday and has scored just 1 goal in 5 World Cup starts, but manager Luis de la Fuente said 'the big day for Lamine has yet to come at this World Cup.'
- Spain have shifted from Euro 2024's wing-based chaos to a control-oriented approach due to fitness issues with Yamal and Nico Williams, per Spanish football journalist Ruairidh Barlow.
- Yamal has been on the winning side in 8 of 10 previous meetings with Mbappe, including a stunning equalizer in Spain's 2-1 Euro 2024 semi-final victory.
- France (2018 champions) seek a third successive final, while Spain (2010 winners) bid to become just the fourth team to hold both world and European crowns simultaneously.
Why it matters: The winner becomes the clear favorite to lift the trophy on July 19, with France chasing history (a third straight final) and Spain chasing an elite dual-crown status. Individually, the match tests whether Mbappe's tournament-best 8 goals and 11 goal contributions can overwhelm a Spain side that has won 8 of the 10 previous meetings between him and Yamal.
