Lamine Yamal Spain France showdown approaches as the teenager says La Roja have no fear ahead of their World Cup semi-final clash

Spain winger Lamine Yamal has declared that Spain have no fear ahead of their FIFA World Cup semi-final against France, insisting that La Roja are ready for the challenge after defeating Belgium to reach the final four.

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The 18-year-old Barcelona star delivered the confident message after Spain secured a 2-1 quarter-final victory over Belgium in Dallas, with Mikel Merino scoring a late winner to send the European champions into the semi-finals.

Spain will now face France, who are aiming to reach their third consecutive World Cup final, in a highly anticipated meeting between two of Europe’s strongest national teams.

Speaking after the victory, Yamal acknowledged France’s impressive record but insisted Spain are focused on creating their own history rather than being intimidated by their opponents.

“There are two possibilities: either they reach three World Cup finals in a row, or we beat them three times. I don’t know what might happen, but we’re not afraid at all,” Yamal said.

The semi-final has attracted global attention, with the teenage forward expected to play a key role in Spain’s attacking plans. Despite receiving the Superior Player of the Match award against Belgium, Yamal said personal recognition is secondary to team success.

“Obviously I wanted to score because it helps the team, but I don’t go out onto the pitch thinking about that. If I win the World Cup, I don’t think anyone’s going to remember how many goals I’ve scored or missed,” he said.

“If we win, we’ll all be happy. If I win the player of the match award, all the better, but above all, I want the team to win.”

Yamal also highlighted the importance of his overall contribution, explaining that his movement and ability to attract defenders can create opportunities for teammates even when he is not directly involved in goals.

“I know that my runs draw in a lot of opponents and that I can leave a team-mate unmarked. The important thing is that we’ve come here to win, and anything I can do to help, even if I don’t touch the ball in a move, will be a good thing,” he added.

The teenager also played down discussions about his goal statistics, pointing out that Spain won the 2024 European Championship despite him scoring only once during the tournament.

“I think the whole goal business has got into everyone’s heads, and we won the European Championship with me scoring just one goal,” Yamal said.

The upcoming semi-final will be another major test for Spain, who have enjoyed recent success against France, winning their last two meetings.

France, however, arrive with significant World Cup pedigree and the ambition of making history by reaching another final.

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For Yamal, the focus remains firmly on collective achievement as Spain chase another major international trophy.