The report says Spain have conceded only once in six matches and carry a 37-match unbeaten run in competitive fixtures. Those claims have not been independently confirmed here, but they underline the tactical identity La Roja have built: long spells of possession, patient circulation and pressure designed to keep opponents away from their penalty area.
Their latest win reportedly required late drama, with Spain overcoming Belgium 2-1 after an 88th-minute winner. That resilience matters, but it also raises a question. Can Spain turn territorial control into earlier goals against a France side likely to punish every mistake?
“Nobody has gone toe-to-toe with us. But in the end, we secured the win,” Yamal said after that victory.
France offer a different test. The report credits them with 16 goals in six matches and points to their run of reaching the previous two World Cup finals. Their attacking threat means Spain may not enjoy the freedom to build slowly if possession is lost in dangerous areas.
Yamal is central to Spain’s response. His creativity from the right, combined with his willingness to take defenders on, gives Spain a route through compact opponents. The teenager’s confidence is unmistakable, particularly after Spain’s reported recent victories over France in the European Championship and Nations League.
“We were the ones who knocked them out before,” Yamal said.
That history may add edge, but it will not decide the semi-final. France’s experience and scoring power make this a sharper examination than Spain’s earlier matches.
“We don’t fear anyone,” Yamal said. “It’s clear that we are two great teams, world-class national teams.”
The next storyline is whether Spain’s control can survive France’s first sustained attacking spell - and whether Yamal’s confidence becomes the defining image of the semi-final.