Inglewood: Lamine Yamal thinks France should be afraid of Spain with the European giants headed to a World Cup semifinal showdown on Tuesday.
️ Lamine Yamal: “Ningún equipo nos ha jugado de tú a tú. Todos se quedan atrás contra nosotros. Si Francia tiene que temer a algún equipo, es a España.”
CALLALE LA BOCA MBAPPÉ pic.twitter.com/UwEFJAlLB5
— (fan) REAL MADRID FANS (@AdriRM33) July 10, 2026
Lamine Yamal is looking forward to take on France, this time in the 2026 @FIFAWorldCup semifinals #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ff483pOnM6
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) July 10, 2026
“I believe if France has to fear anyone, it should be us, in my opinion,” the teenage sensation told broadcast reporters after Spain beat Belgium 2-1 on Friday to secure its first semifinal berth since 2010. “We were the ones who knocked them out before.” Spain beat France in the 2024 European Championship semifinals and again in Nations League play last year. Yamal became the youngest player to score in the continental competition.
LAMINE YAMAL : « LA FRANCE MEILLEURE QUE NOUS ? NON ! ILS NE NOUS ONT PAS BATTUS, ILS NE PEUVENT PAS ÊTRE MEILLEURS. »
On se donne rendez-vous en demies, Lamine. pic.twitter.com/It9yvHO6IT
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) June 30, 2026
The powerhouses meet again at the home stadium of the Dallas Cowboys next week for a spot in the final.
“We don’t fear anyone,” said Yamal, who was named the man of the match against Belgium. “It’s clear that we are two great teams, world-class national teams, and for me they are one of the best. We’ll see what happens.” Spain advanced on a winning goal by substitute Mikel Merino in the 88th minute of the quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium. La Roja conceded its only goal of the entire World Cup late in the first 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 it all in 2018. Spain has made only one World Cup final in its history, but the current team is unbeaten in 37 consecutive competitive matches since March 2023 — a stretch that also includes a loss on penalties to Portugal in the Nations League final last year.
Yamal, who turns 19 on Monday, has only one goal in his first World Cup, but his playmaking and activity down the right side of Spain’s attack have been noticeable in almost every match. He started the sequence that led to Spain’s first goal against Belgium in a two-man game with Pedro Porro, eventually leading to Fabián Ruiz’s rebound goal off Dani Olmo’s shot.
Although Spain needed a late goal from Merino to win for the second straight match, Yamal believes his team is ready for the challenge of the World Cup’s dominant team so far.
“I think we were much better, (than Belgium),” Yamal said. “It seems like we’re playing very beautiful football, but in reality, there isn’t a team that plays against us on equal footing. Everyone drops back, and that makes it more difficult. Nobody has gone toe-to-toe with us. But in the end, we secured the win.”
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