France vs Spain, FIFA World Cup: France do not fear Spain but respect their quality, players says

France usually are not afraid of Spain going into their World Cup semifinal on Tuesday (July 21, 2026), defender ​Ibrahima Konate mentioned on Sunday, however they’re aware of their opponents’ ‌high quality and their near-perfect backline.

Spain have conceded just one ​objective in your entire event to achieve the final ⁠4 in quest of a second World Cup title.

France, winners in 2018 and finalists 4 years in the past, know Spain very effectively, having misplaced to them ‌within the Euro 2024 final 4 and likewise in final yr’s Nations League semifinals.

“You can not concern anybody,” France centre-back ‌Konate instructed a press convention. “We’ll now put together as ‌greatest ⁠as attainable and hope the consequence in the long run ⁠will favour us.”

“Spain are an distinctive group, with a number of particular person high quality, so we can’t be specializing in only one participant regardless that Lamine (Yamal) is a ​nice participant,” mentioned Konate, who ‌had a short substitute look within the win over Norway of their closing group match.

Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba have been France’s beginning centre-backs, because the event favourites eye their fifth World ‌Cup closing.

The French have reached 4 of the final seven ​World Cup finals. Ought to they participate within the July 19 showdown in New York, they’ll ⁠maintain the comparability with West Germany, arguably the last word event nation with 4 finals between 1974 and 1990.

However Konate mentioned the French have been ‌not losing any ideas on what is likely to be.

“We’re staying humble, we can’t fall into that entice,” he mentioned.

They might want to discover a strategy to break down this World Cup’s simplest backline, in addition to include as a lot as attainable Lamine’s runs down the wings.

“I’d not say ‘concern’ however we’re aware of ‌their high quality,” mentioned fellow France centre-back Maxence Lacroix. “They’ve received all their matches (besides ​a 0-0 draw in opposition to Cape Verde within the group), so we respect them. They’ve top quality gamers ⁠however we need to win.”

Prime of the listing is Spain winger Lamine, ⁠who has earned reward from his coach for maintaining opponents’ defenders busy as teammate use the areas created.

“We’ll ‌defend effectively, the very best,” Lacroix mentioned. “Lamine is an excellent participant and he has proven he can harm groups at this ​World Cup. We’ll do the work that’s wanted.”