The match between Spain and France will feature superstars such as Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal.
The first semi-final begins on Tuesday in Dallas, with European powerhouses France and Spain battling it out for a spot in the World Cup finals.
Both teams have star players in their ranks, with the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Michael Oliseh and Lamine Yamal set to play a key role in securing their countries a place in Sunday’s final.
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Here’s a closer look at some of the key players that will decide Tuesday’s first semifinal.
Kylian Mbappe
2026 World Cup Statistics:
Goals: 8 Assists: 3 Minutes played: 563
The French captain has been outstanding at this World Cup, breaking numerous records in the process.
Mbappe, who scored four goals in the group stage, has scored in every knockout stage so far and has also provided numerous assists.
The Real Madrid forward is showing his true form and poses the biggest threat to Les Bleus’ star-studded XI.
Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final defeat to Argentina in Qatar, will be determined to take things a step further this year.
michael orise
2026 World Cup Statistics:
Goals: 0 Assists: 5 Minutes played: 488
Michael Oliseh may not be on the scoresheet so far this World Cup, but he is the player with the most assists.
He has scored five goals for France and his partnership with Mbappé has been a highlight of the tournament.
The Bayern Munich midfielder has the technical ability to solve defences, and will be a key attacking threat in the semi-final against Spain.
Ousmane Dembele
2026 World Cup Statistics:
Goals: 5 Assists: 2 Minutes played: 492
Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) dynamic forward entered the tournament aiming to score his first World Cup goal. He has five of them now.
He scored a hat-trick in the first half in the group game against Norway and also scored the second goal in France’s 2-0 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Les Bleus have their own Golden Boot competition, with Dembele pushing Mbappe all the way.
The pair have combined to score 13 goals at this World Cup, a feat not achieved by two players from the same country since Brazil’s Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002.
Lamine Yamal
2026 World Cup Statistics:
Goals: 1 Assists: 0 Minutes played: 405
In a tournament that has featured star players such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal has scored just one goal so far, beating Saudi Arabia 4-0 in their regular group match.
Despite this, Barcelona’s teenage sensation remains a key attacking threat for La Roja, scoring against France in the semi-finals of Euro 2024.
He won the Player of the Match award for his performance in Spain’s quarter-final victory over Belgium, and also recorded the most successful dribble of the competition so far.
“I know that I can contribute even if I don’t score. I know that my movements will attract a lot of opponents, so I’m doing everything I can to help the team,” Yamal said after Spain’s victory over Belgium.
Mikel Oyarzabal
2026 World Cup Statistics:
Goals: 4 Assists: 1 Minutes played: 519
The Real Sociedad forward is Spain’s top scorer at this World Cup and will be La Roja’s best hope for goals in Tuesday’s semi-final.
He scored 6 goals in 6 games during World Cup qualifying and 4 goals in the tournament.
Oyarzabal also has experience scoring decisive goals in the business end of tournaments. He scored the winning goal in the 86th minute in the Euro 2024 final against England, proving that he can perform under pressure on the biggest stage.
La Roja will be hoping for a similar result this week.
(Paul Ellis/AFP)
Mikel Merino
2026 World Cup Statistics:
Goals: 2 Assists: 0 Minutes played: 180
If Spain needs a goal against France late in the semi-final, Luis de la Fuente will likely rely on one man on the bench.
Mikel Merino played the role of super-sub twice at this World Cup, scoring the winning goal as a substitute against Portugal and Belgium.
The Arsenal midfielder is unlikely to start against Les Bleus on Tuesday, but he remains an important part of the Spanish national team and will be a big threat against tired legs towards the end of the game.
