France seeks to impose conditions

Jules Koundé, a key player in Didier Deschamps' defense, made it clear what will be the key for France to beat Spain in the 2026 World Cup semifinal. "We can't spend ninety minutes chasing the ball," warned the player, aware that La Roja maintains its historic identity of playing based on possession. The match, which will be played this Tuesday, will be only the second World Cup encounter between the two teams, after France's 3-1 win in Germany 2006

The weight of history

Les Bleus arrive with a flawless record of six victories in six matches, including the latest 2-0 win against Morocco. If they manage to prevail, they will become the second European team to achieve seven consecutive victories in a World Cup, equaling Italy in 1934 and 1938. In addition, France is playing its eighth World Cup semifinal, with a record that shows a remarkable evolution: eliminated in its first three, but finalists in the last four, with three victories without conceding goals (1998, 2018, and 2022)

Possession as a tool

Although France has proven to be lethal on quick transitions, Koundé insisted that the team must hold the ball to neutralize Spain. "We are two very offensive teams. They historically play with possession, but they can also hurt on the counter. We know how to adapt, but we need to have the ball. Otherwise, you end up suffering," he explained. The defender stressed that dominating possession will be vital to prevent Spain from finding space and wearing down the French defense.

With Didier Deschamps reaching a historic record of 26 matches managed in World Cups, France is looking to become the third national team to reach three consecutive finals, following in the footsteps of Germany and Brazil. The challenge, however, will be twofold, to curb Spain's culture of collective play and, at the same time, to impose their own identity in a match that promises to be high-voltage

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