France take on Spain in a blockbuster World Cup semi-final on Tuesday.
While France have largely looked levels above everyone they’ve faced, opponents have struggled to lay a glove on Spain, and the pair look very closely matched.
Ahead of Tuesday’s clash, we’ve put together a combined XI of the two teams.
Bet on France v Spain at the World Cup
GK – David Raya
Spain’s goalkeeper is perhaps the least important player on their team considering how little they actually do over the 90 minutes. Nevertheless, it remains a headscratcher how Unai Simon retains his place between the sticks over the superior David Raya, who gets the nod here.
RB – Pedro Porro
Enjoying an excellent World Cup, Pedro Porro is superb on the ball and a perfect fit for Luis de la Fuente’s system, offering a constant threat down the flank.
CB – Dayot Upamecano
A rock at the back, the Bayern Munich man signed a new deal with the club until 2030, keeping the France centre half out of Real Madrid’s clutches.
Aggressive in duels, Upamecano is a handful for any attacker, while his work on the ball is quietly underrated.
CB – William Saliba
Complementing the physical Upamecano is the more elegant William Saliba. The Arsenal man is blessed with pace, physicality and intelligence and his comfort on the ball makes him an asset for any manager.
LB – Marc Cucurella
Though there are question marks over Marc Cucurella’s defensive nous, his lightning pace and relentless energy are vital attributes for his role in the Spain side.
CM – Rodri
The lynchpin of this Spain team. Even at 30 years old after a serious knee injury, everything revolves around Rodri who continues to make the game look effortless.
CM – Pedri
Complementing Rodri in midfield is team mate Pedri. Still only 23 years old, the Barcelona midfielder oozes composure in the middle of the park and is near-impossible to dispossess. Despite his age and numerous injury woes, has more than 300 games for club and country.
RW – Lamine Yamal
Quite simply a generational talent. Turning 19 the day before playing in a World Cup semi-final, Yamal is already one of the best players in the world, if not the best.
Coming into the tournament injured, Yamal has had to manage his fitness and hasn’t been at top speed, but will hope to have at least one tournament-defining performance in him.
AM – Michael Olise
There’s something wonderfully understated about how Michael Olise plays the game. Brilliantly technical and intelligent as a number 10, everything is done at the right tempo and the decision is always the correct one: how many touches to take, when to pass, who to pass to.
The Bayern man has been flawless at this World Cup and has genuine Golden Ball claims.
LW – Desire Doue
There’s precious little to choose between Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola, with even their Paris Saint-Germain and France coaches alternating between the pair.
While Doue is more frequently deployed on the right for his club, he makes the team on the left here.
CF – Kylian Mbappe
There’s something about Kylian Mbappe when wearing French blue at a World Cup. A world class player, the Real Madrid steps his game up several notches, turning into an unstoppable force.
He’s made a mockery of Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record, one that looked like it may never be beaten, and while he’s back behind Lionel Messi again, he’ll reclaim the mantle and set a near-impossible tally to beat.
