Deschamps calls Spain favorite ahead of World Cup semifinal showdown

Didier Deschamps used the eve of France’s semifinal against Spain to set the frame on his own terms, calling Spain the favorite while insisting France would not surrender possession in the battle for midfield control. The France coach made the remark on Monday, July 13, 2026, in Dallas-Arlington, Texas, ahead of Tuesday’s match at AT&T Stadium.

The public label carried more than courtesy. FIFA’s own preview cast the game as a meeting between Spain, the reigning European champion, and France, which is one win from a third straight World Cup final. By putting Spain in the favorite’s seat, Deschamps turned attention away from the pressure on France and toward the tactical problem in front of him: how to deny Spain the rhythm that has defined much of its recent success.

Deschamps said France would not willingly give up the ball and pointed to the center of the pitch as the decisive area. Aurélien Tchouaméni was available again for the semifinal, giving France another option in a contest that is likely to hinge on duels, spacing and second balls as much as on any individual star turn. The setup suggested a manager less interested in flattering Spain than in lowering the noise around his own side while sharpening the message inside the France camp.

The rivalry gives that message extra weight. France and Spain have met only once before at a World Cup, in the round of 16 in 2006. Since then, Spain has won 7 of the 11 meetings between the sides, with France taking 3 and 1 ending level. Several previews also place Tuesday’s match as the 39th meeting in the history of the rivalry, underlining how much institutional memory sits behind a single semifinal.

Spain also carries a recent knockout edge over France. It beat France 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semifinal, a result that still frames the matchup and helps explain why Deschamps chose to speak about Spain as the side to chase rather than the side to fear. Even so, France did not sound intimidated. Ibrahima Konaté said France feared nobody, while acknowledging Spain’s quality and the threat posed by Lamine Yamal. Kylian Mbappé was also described as fully fit after a minor ankle problem in the quarterfinal win over Morocco, giving France another high-profile option for a match that has already become a contest over control before the first whistle.