France head coach Didier Deschamps has placed the spotlight firmly on Spain ahead of their highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal, insisting that the reigning European champions enter the match as the favorites.

Speaking to Movistar, Deschamps praised Luis de la Fuente's squad and downplayed France's own chances despite Les Bleus being considered one of the tournament's strongest teams.

"We know Spain very well. They are the current European champions. Before the World Cup people considered us favorites, but the favorite is Spain," Deschamps said.

The French manager explained that Spain's recent success naturally places greater expectations on La Roja. Although he acknowledged Spain's defeat to Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final, he emphasized the quality and consistency of the Spanish squad.

"That puts more pressure on them because of everything they have achieved. They are a very good team with many strengths," he added.

Recent history supports Deschamps' comments. Spain defeated France in the semifinals of UEFA Euro 2024 and followed it up with another victory in the UEFA Nations League, giving La Roja the psychological edge heading into Tuesday's showdown.

However, World Cup history tells a different story. The only previous meeting between the two nations at a FIFA World Cup came in the Round of 16 in Germany 2006, when France rallied for a memorable 3-1 victory during Zinedine Zidane's final World Cup campaign.

With a place in the final on the line, Deschamps emphasized the magnitude of the occasion.

"Above all, this is a World Cup semifinal, and the level is extremely high," he concluded, knowing that one of the tournament's biggest clashes could be decided by the smallest details.

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