For the first time. FIFA’s top four teams have made the World Cup semifinals, and the France vs; Spain match is a rematch of the 2024 European Championship semifinals, according to NBC News. Les Bleus. The 2018 winners and 2022 runners-up. Face La Roja, who won the 2010 title; this marks the first time since 1990 that the final four teams are all previous winners; Five of the tournament’s top six scorers will be in action, with Kylian Mbappé leading the Golden Boot standings with eight goals.

High-Profile Matchup With History

France is the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup semifinals, joining Germany and Brazil, according to FOX Sports. A win would make France only the third team to reach three straight World Cup finals, alongside Brazil (1994-2002) and West Germany (1982-1990). Spain, meanwhile, is in its second World Cup semifinal and first since winning the 2010 title. The Spanish team is the first reigning European champion to reach the World Cup semifinals since its own 2010 squad.

Star Players and Tactical Battles

The France vs. Spain match is a clash of attacking flair and possession-based play. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente will be hoping star winger Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 yesterday, can replicate the electric form that helped La Roja win the European title two years ago. Yamal scored in the 2024 semifinal against France in a 2-1 win in Munich. However, Yamal has been unspectacular so far in the current tournament, with one goal and no assists. Mbappé, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer, with eight goals to his name.

France’s record in the tournament includes a dominant 2-0 win against Morocco in the quarterfinals, where they outshot Morocco 22-5, according to FOX Sports. Spain’s quarterfinal win over Belgium ended a 649-minute World Cup shutout streak for goalkeeper Unai Simón. Spain also set a team record of 36 straight games unbeaten (27W-9D-0L), according to FOX Sports.

Additional Sporting News

While international football headlines the sporting world, NHL star Macklin Celebrini has made history as the youngest player ever to appear on an NHL video game cover, according to ESPN. Celebrini, 20, will be on the cover of “NHL 27” and set a San Jose Sharks franchise record for points in a season (115, including 45 goals). He was also a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award and finished fourth for the Hart Trophy. In international hockey, Celebrini led Team Canada with five goals in six games during the 2025-26 Olympics, helping the team win silver.

In European club football, SC Freiburg lost 1-2 in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League semifinals against Sporting Braga, according to SWR. The German team must win by two goals in the return leg in Freiburg to advance to the final. In the Spanish league, Nikita Iosifov has joined Sporting de Gijón on a one-year contract with an optional second season, according to LNE. The Russian winger made 52 appearances in the 2025-26 season, scoring 16 goals and providing 12 assists.