Published July 14, 2026
Coach Didier Deschamps said France will not actively give up the ball to Spain in the World Cup semi-finals, while confirming that Kylian Mbappé will be able to play the entirety of the crucial match.
“Spain can put a lot of pressure, but we are also a team that needs the ball,” Deschamps told reporters on Monday. “There will be a fight for control.”
Spain’s rise to the top four has centered around their ability to dominate the ball, press opponents deep into their own half, and control the rhythm of the game.
France have the pace to hurt their opponents in the first half, but Deschamps rejected the idea that his team would be content to just defend and wait for substitutions.
Midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery said France’s wide range of qualities gave them several ways to approach the contest.
“Spain have good quality of the ball,” he said. “We have the quality to attack quickly on the counter, keep possession of the ball ourselves and defend well.
“Everything will depend on how the match goes. I can’t say exactly how the match will develop right now.”
Tchoameni is playable
France’s chances of competing in the central area have been strengthened by the return of Aurélien Choameny. His last appearance was on June 30, in a 3-0 win over Sweden in the Round of 32.
He missed the last-16 match in the 1-0 win over Paraguay and the quarter-final win over Morocco 2-0 due to a hamstring problem.
Deschamps said the 26-year-old Real Madrid midfielder had not yet fully recovered but was available for selection after being left out in the previous game as a precaution.
“The risk was too high in the last game,” he said. “He felt better today, but I can’t say he’s 100% recovered.
“His last game was two weeks ago, which is not outrageous. The important thing is that he is available.”
Choameni’s presence would give France a natural holding midfielder who can protect the defense, compete physically and help the team play through Spanish pressure.
Mbappé misses part of France training ahead of match against Spain
France captain Kylian Mbappé did not complete his final training session on Monday after sustaining a minor ankle injury during Les Bleus’ quarter-final win over Morocco.
Mbappé was substituted late in France’s 2-0 win last Thursday, but was partially rested in training on Monday.
The injury is not expected to prevent him from playing Tuesday.
Deschamps said: “Kylian is fine.”
Asked if Mbappé had trained, he added: “Yes, he has. He is allowed to do 10 minutes in a training session instead of 15.”
Midfield composition
Deschamps is also likely to maintain the midfield configuration that put France ahead of Morocco, with Manu Cohn and Adrien Rabiot side by side. Zaire-Emery offers new options in an area that is likely to determine whether Spain can impose a familiar rhythm.
Spain’s possession game is designed not only to create openings, but also to tire out opponents by repeatedly moving the ball from one side to the other.
Full-back Jules Kounde said on Monday that France needed to hold onto their own ball to break that pattern, rather than allowing Spain to settle into a spell of prolonged domination.
Deschamps believes France’s experience in recent major tournaments will help them navigate these various phases, but insisted previous talks with Spain gave no guarantees about how Tuesday’s game would unfold.
Spain eliminated France in the Euro 2024 semi-finals, but defeated France again in the Nations League last four in 2025.
“There is no particular lesson,” Deschamps said. “There was one truth in that game for the players on both sides at the time.
“The players are different now and they are not necessarily at the same level of form.
“Congratulations to Spain because they won those two games, but what I’m interested in is tomorrow’s game.”
Adaptation central to French consistency
The French coach said adaptation was central to the team’s stability as Les Bleus are now aiming to reach a third consecutive World Cup final.
“When you’re a coach, the key word is adaptation,” Deschamps explained.
“Soccer is not an exact science, but preparation and planning down to the smallest detail is always important.”
France’s attacking threat is led by Mbappé, the tournament’s top scorer.
However, the semi-final could hinge on whether Deschamps’ midfield can provide sufficient service to the forwards while preventing Spain from monopolizing the ball.
