Road to the last four: How France and Spain fueled their World Cup runs
The World Cup 2026 semi-final pits a relentless France attack against a Spain side built on possession and patience.
France have scored 13 goals in five World Cup matches at this tournament, with Mbappe alone accounting for eight of them. They arrive as the slight favourites and with good reason: their route to the semi-final has been convincing, beating Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-final and conceding just once across five knockout and group outings combined.
Spain on the other side have been efficient rather than spectacular. Luis de la Fuente’s side won all five of their matches en route to the last four but kept four clean sheets and rarely needed to shift out of second gear. Their 2-1 win over Belgium in the quarter-final was their tightest margin of victory, which tells you how controlled their campaign has been.
From dramatic late winners and tactical masterclasses to intense pitchside confrontations, this collection captures the pivotal moments, tactical battles, and raw emotional outbursts that have shaped both European heavyweights' journeys through the tournament so far.
Photos: Reuters
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