Spain winger Lamine Yamal has reiterated his side's fearless stance towards France ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final showdown, insisting the back-to-back European champions have nothing to worry about when facing Les Bleus.
Speaking to the press following Spain's victory over Belgium that secured their place in the last four, Yamal pointed to recent head-to-head history as the foundation for his confidence.
Yamal Points to Recent Wins Over France
“The last two times we played France, we beat them. We're not afraid. There are two options: either they reach three consecutive World Cup finals, or we beat them three times. I don't know what might happen, but we're not afraid,” he said via COPE.
The comments drew immediate scrutiny from sections of the media, with several outlets characterising the remarks as arrogant and disrespectful to a French side that has reached consecutive World Cup finals.
Yamal Stands by His Words
Rather than walk back the statement, Yamal addressed the controversy head-on at Spain's pre-match press conference, making clear that his words had been taken out of context.
“It hasn't been misinterpreted. Obviously, I'm not afraid of France. We're the European champions, and we don't fear any match. They're taking it as just a football match, and that's it,” he added via Barca Universal.
The clarification did little to soften the tone of his original message. Yamal's position remains that Spain approach every fixture on equal terms regardless of the opposition's pedigree, and that their continental title gives them every reason to carry that confidence into a World Cup semi-final.
Mbappe Sends Message to Spain
In related news, Kylian Mbappe sent a message to Spain ahead of their highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final match. The French national team captain claimed that his team will be ready for anything in their biggest game of the tournament so far against a familiar opponent.
