France clear favourite ahead of World Cup semi-finals
France heads into Tuesday's World Cup semi-final against Spain as the overwhelming favourite to lift the trophy, a victory that would deliver a major boost to national morale on Bastille Day.
France will play Spain on Tuesday in New York for a place in Sunday's World Cup final, where either Argentina or England will await. The tournament has reached the business end, and across the four semi-finalist camps, an unusual consensus has formed. France is the team to beat.
The French squad is widely viewed as a step above the rest of the competition. Journalists and supporters from opposing nations concede that an attack led by Kylian Mbappe makes Didier Deschamps' side the most frightening in the tournament. Mbappe is backed by Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Desire Doue, with Bradley Barcola and Rayan Cherki waiting on the bench.
A victory on Tuesday would carry significant weight for French public life. The match falls on Bastille Day, and some cities have already postponed their traditional fireworks displays until after the game. "The whole of France will stop to watch this semi-final," said Abdoul-Karim, a journalist for TV5 Monde. "There is a lot of confidence in France. This time there is no controversy or debate hanging over the team."
Spain must execute a near-perfect game to advance. Spanish journalist Guillem Balague noted that his country has "the best team" but acknowledged France possesses "the best player and the most frightening attack." Spain's chances rely heavily on neutralising the French counter-attack and getting a strong performance from Lamine Yamal. The young forward has disappointed at the start of the competition, and Spain are also missing the top-level experience of Pedri.
In the other semi-final, England are attempting to reach their first final since 1966. A win would end sixty years of disappointment, but the squad has shown signs of physical fatigue. England fan Dean noted the team looked depleted against Norway, raising fears that Lionel Messi could spoil the occasion.
Argentina are aiming to become just the third team in history to defend their title. They have relied on doing more with less, waiting for moments of brilliance from Messi or Julian Alvarez. However, even their own press is hesitant. "In terms of football, I see France as a step above everyone else right now," said Argentine journalist Santi Sciola. "France is the top team to win the title."
