Two of international football’s great powers meet in Dallas on Tuesday evening as France and Spain battle for a place in the World Cup final.

The reward for victory is another showdown with either England or Argentina, but first comes a contest worthy of the final itself. France are attempting to reach a third consecutive World Cup final and join Brazil and Germany in an exclusive club, while reigning European champions Spain are hoping to complete a remarkable double by adding the world’s biggest prize to their continental crown.

Between them, they have lost just once in 20 matches at this tournament.

France are finding the perfect balance at exactly the right time

France have looked every inch a side determined to make Didier Deschamps’ farewell tournament a memorable one.

Six consecutive victories have carried Les Bleus through Group I and beyond Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco, with 16 goals scored along the way. More significantly, France appear to have discovered an attacking balance that previous Deschamps teams have sometimes lacked.

Kylian Mbappe continues to dominate headlines with eight goals and another Golden Boot challenge, but the supporting cast has arguably been just as important. Ousmane Dembele is enjoying the tournament of his life, Michael Olise has emerged as one of the players of the competition and both Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue have made major contributions whenever called upon.

Against Morocco, France once again demonstrated why they remain among the favourites. Mbappe recovered from an early penalty miss to produce a captain’s performance, scoring the opener before creating Dembele’s decisive goal in Boston.

There is a noticeable shift in this French side compared to previous tournaments under Deschamps. Traditionally cautious and pragmatic, the outgoing manager has allowed his team greater attacking freedom during what will be his final competition in charge.

History also favours Les Bleus. France have won each of their last four World Cup semi-finals and have not conceded a goal in any of their previous three appearances at this stage.

There are few major fitness concerns heading into Tuesday’s showdown. Mbappe’s ankle issue is expected to settle in time, while Manu Kone and Aurelien Tchouameni are both expected to be available for selection in midfield.

Spain’s control and composure continue to suffocate opponents

If France possess the tournament’s most explosive attack, Spain may have the most complete team.

Luis de la Fuente’s side topped Group H before eliminating Austria, Portugal and Belgium, extending a remarkable run that has seen them lose only once in major tournament football since the start of 2018.

What makes Spain so difficult to face is their ability to dictate every aspect of a match. Opponents spend long periods chasing the ball before eventually being punished by the technical quality and movement that has become synonymous with La Roja.

Mikel Merino has become Spain’s unlikely knockout hero. Having already eliminated Portugal with a decisive goal from the bench, he repeated the trick against Belgium with another late intervention that secured Spain’s place in the final four.

Meanwhile, Mikel Oyarzabal continues to quietly enjoy an outstanding tournament, while Lamine Yamal remains one of the competition’s most dangerous one-on-one players despite not yet reaching the heights of his European Championship performances two years ago.

Selection decisions are likely to dominate pre-match discussions for De la Fuente. Merino and Pedri are both pushing for starts in midfield, while the recoveries of Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino provide additional options in attack.

Spain’s defensive record remains equally impressive. Although Belgium finally ended their run of consecutive clean sheets, they have still conceded remarkably few chances throughout the tournament and continue to combine technical brilliance with defensive discipline.

Verdict

This feels like the final before the final.

France possess greater individual firepower in the attacking third and arguably carry more match-winners capable of deciding a game in an instant. Spain, however, remain the masters of control and rhythm, capable of turning elite opponents into spectators for long periods.

The midfield battle promises to be decisive. If Spain dominate possession and prevent France from attacking space in transition, they will significantly increase their chances of reaching another final. Conversely, if Mbappe, Dembele and Olise are allowed opportunities to run at defenders, even Spain’s organisation may not be enough.

With so little separating the two sides, this has all the ingredients of another classic between familiar rivals.

Tip

France to qualify

Spain’s technical quality and tournament pedigree make them formidable opponents, but France’s attacking depth and recent record in World Cup semi-finals are difficult to ignore. With Mbappe in outstanding form and Deschamps chasing one final piece of history, Les Bleus may just find a way to edge another heavyweight encounter.