Spain’s Lamine Yamal (19) celebrates at the top of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
INGLEWOOD, California — Lamine Yamal thinks France must be afraid of Spain with the European giants headed to a World Cup semifinal showdown on Tuesday.
“I consider if France has to fear anyone, it must be us, for my part,” the teenage sensation told broadcast reporters after Spain beat Belgium 2-1 on Friday to secure its first semifinal berth since 2010. “We were those who knocked them out before.”
Spain beat France within the 2024 European Championship semifinals and again in Nations League play last 12 months. Yamal became the youngest player to attain within the continental competition.
READ: World Cup: Merino stars again, Spain edges Belgium to make semis
The powerhouses meet again at the house stadium of the Dallas Cowboys next week for a spot in the ultimate.
“We don’t fear anyone,” said Yamal, who was named the person of the match against Belgium. “It’s clear that we’re two great teams, world-class national teams, and for me they’re the most effective. We’ll see what happens.”
Spain advanced on a winning goal by substitute Mikel Merino within the 88th minute of the quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium. La Roja conceded its only goal of the whole World Cup late in the primary half against Belgium, while France has piled up 16 goals in its six World Cup matches.
France has made the past two World Cup finals, winning all of it in 2018. Spain has made just one World Cup final in its history, but the present team is unbeaten in 37 consecutive competitive matches since March 2023 — a stretch that also features a loss on penalties to Portugal within the Nations League final last 12 months.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has been asked by the international media about this potential showdown with France throughout the tournament, but particularly for the reason that start of the knockout rounds two weeks ago. He has been uniformly complimentary of Les Bleus while echoing his own players’ confidence.
READ: World Cup: Spain sets record with sixth clean sheet in a row
“Let me be clear: We should not finished,” de la Fuente said. “We’re pleased to be within the semifinals, but we wish more. … We’re able to winning this game, and not only now, but I’d have said this just a few weeks ago as well.”
Yamal, who turns 19 on Monday, has just one goal and no assists while putting 10 shots on track in his first World Cup, but his playmaking and activity down the appropriate side of Spain’s attack have been noticeable in almost every match. He began the sequence that led to Spain’s first goal against Belgium in a two-man game with Pedro Porro, eventually resulting in Fabián Ruiz’s rebound goal off Dani Olmo’s shot.
Yamal said his modest statistics don’t hassle him, noting that he also scored just one goal (with 4 assists) while Spain won the European Championship two years ago.
Although Spain needed a late goal from Merino to win for the second straight match, Yamal believes his team is prepared for the challenge of the World Cup’s dominant team to this point. Yamal cited Spain’s acumen in ball possession — a stat they’ve repeatedly dominated during this World Cup — as a strategy to take France out of its preferred kind of play.
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“I feel we were significantly better, (than Belgium),” Yamal said. “It looks as if we’re playing very beautiful football, but in point of fact, there isn’t a team that plays against us on equal footing. Everyone drops back, and that makes it tougher. No one has gone toe-to-toe with us. But in the long run, we secured the win.”