World Cup 2026: Didier Deschamps predicts ‘amazing’ semi-final between France and Spain

France coach Didier Deschamps expects an “amazing” semi-final when his exciting team takes on Spain in a heavy World Cup clash in Dallas on Tuesday.

Spain beat France in the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro 2024 on its way to being crowned European champions, before defeating France in a thrilling nine-goal match in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League last year.

Deschamps, who will leave his position at the end of the tournament after 14 years in office, said: “The past is the past.”

“they [Spain] I’ve won in the past but I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

“We are now at another level. We want to be in the final.”

Two-time world champions France will become only the third country to reach three consecutive World Cup finals if they win in Texas (kick-off at 20:00 GMT).

West Germany in 1982, 1986 and 1990 and Brazil in 1994, 1998 and 2002 are the only countries that have managed to achieve this feat so far.

Deschamps, who led France to win the world title in 1998, led the team to win the 2018 World Cup before losing on penalties to Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar.

He said that Spain will start the semi-final match as the favorite to win.

“They have only conceded one goal in six matches,” Deschamps added.

“We know this could be a very amazing match. [Spain boss] Louis [de la Fuente] Personally, we know how to defend and with the quality of both teams in attack, we can believe it will be an amazing match.”

De la Fuente later played down Deschamps’ claim that Spain was the favourite.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “We are two great national teams facing each other.

“Whether we are candidates or not, it does not mean more pressure on us. We have this pressure anyway because we want to deliver good results for our country.”