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When the semi-finals become an uphill race
The Spanish national team is just one match away from reaching the finals of the World Cup, but this is no ordinary confrontation, but rather a tactical, physical and mental test against the strongest version of the French national team in recent years.
Didier Deschamps’ side reached the semi-finals unbeaten, are at the top of the competition in attack and have an arsenal of players capable of deciding any match in a minute, even if the opposition looks to be the better side.
For Spain, reaching the final will not be achieved by simply imposing possession or producing the beautiful performance it has become accustomed to during the tournament, but will require going through ten consecutive stages, each with its own challenges.
Some of them force ball control and others require patience and defensive discipline, all the while leading the way to what is reportedly the toughest test Kylian Mbappe has ever faced. newspaper”Brand:“Spanish.
The first stage is to hit the limbs before invading the depths
The start may seem less complicated than the rest of the stages, but it represents the actual starting point of the match. Spain realize that one of the most popular penetration points is on the flanks, with the French full-backs not looking as strong as the two centre-backs.
Luca Deane has struggled on more than one occasion when put under direct pressure, and France often rely on wing support to lighten their defensive load. Jules Kunde, on the other hand, faces a very difficult matchup against Lamine Yamal, prompting the Barcelona defender to downplay the individual challenge, stressing that Spain have more than one player capable of making the difference.
If Lamin Yamal and Neko Williams manage to force the French full-backs to retreat continuously, Spain may find a way to impose their rhythm from the opening minutes.
Second phase: battle for ball control
Although France does not suffer when playing without possession, it does not prefer to chase the ball for a long time, and this is where the most obvious strengths of the Spanish national team appear.
La Roja lead the tournament in possession percentage, averaging 60%, and are also one of the fastest teams to recover from possession. Luis de la Fuente relies on a midfield quartet of Rodri, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo to turn the midfield into a purely Spanish area of influence.
The longer Spain’s periods of possession lasted in France’s half, the fewer opportunities the French had to use their speed in transition, something the Spanish tried to force throughout the match.
The third stage. Losing the ball is prohibited
If possession is Spain’s number one weapon, how well it is used will be the most important factor.
There is no team in the tournament that uses attacking transitions as quickly as France. After recovering the ball, Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olissi or Desiree Douy only need three passes to reach the opponent’s goal.
For this reason, Spain will not only be required to keep the ball, but also to avoid losing it in dangerous areas, as any simple mistake can turn into a goal in seconds.
De La Fuente has stressed throughout the tournament the importance of striking a balance between grit and discipline, a principle that seems more important than ever against a team that is good at shooting rebounds.
Stage Four: Break through the French Wall
Even achieving France’s goal will not be an easy task. William Saliba and Deyot Upamekano form one of the strongest centre-back pairings in the tournament, thanks to their combination of physicality, speed and ability to deal with aerial balls.
This duo gives France the freedom to defend late on without the fear of long balls or running in behind the defence, and also allows the rest of the team to focus on attacking passes.
France’s excellence is not limited to defending in the region, as Ibrahima Konate confirmed that France’s strength starts immediately after losing the ball, noting that the team’s counter-pressure is under-appreciated, even though it is one of the secrets to its success.
Phase Five: Monitoring Ulysses’ Lab
Mbappe may steal the headlines, but Mikael Olis spearheads most of the French attack.
The Bayern Munich player is completely free to move between the lines, constantly changing positions and has exceptional vision and a great ability to send crucial passes at the right moment.
Olisi is the tournament’s top scorer and one of the most chance-creators, and he only needs one touch to change the tone of an entire match.
Thierry Henry’s comparison of his long passes to American football legend Tom Brady was nothing but a reflection of the French midfielder’s great accuracy.
The closed spaces for Olisse will deprive France of one of the most important keys in attack.
Sixth round.. Dembele.. silent star
Away from the limelight stolen by Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele is delivering one of his best ever tournaments. He scored five goals, provided two impressive assists and became the player in almost every attack for the French.
The Paris Saint-Germain player stands out for his unexpected movements and ability to change speed in seconds, in addition to his varied roles between play-making and attacking ends.
The French describe him as a “silent leader” because he leads the team more with his speech than with his words. Reducing his threat will be just as important as controlling Mbappe.
Seventh Stage.. Offensive Empire
The numbers clearly reveal the size of the French forces. The French team entered the semi-finals after scoring 16 goals, which is the highest figure in the tournament, and also exceeded the barrier of 100 shots on goal.
The question is not limited to the abundance of attempts, but also to efficiency, with the French scoring around 15% of their total shots, a figure that reflects the quality of attacking solutions the team possesses.
These numbers confirm that France does not need to create dozens of chances to score, but it is enough for them to use the appropriate opportunity.
Eighth stage. Concentrate until the last second
One of the most dangerous advantages of the French national team is that it is not necessary to establish control over the course of the game in order to win. A team can go long periods without possession, then steal the ball and launch an attack that ends in a goal.
Mbappe, Olisse or Dembele can change the outcome of a match in a matter of seconds, making staying focused throughout the 90 minutes unquestionable.
Didier Deschamps has repeated more than once that control does not mean having the ball, but forcing the opponent to do what you want, even if they have the ball most of the time. This philosophy is one of the biggest tests for the Spanish national team.
Stage Nine: Deadly Speed
If France has a weapon that all rivals fear, it is speed. Kylian Mbappe recorded the fastest speed of the tournament, reaching 37.6 kilometers per hour, but he is not the only one who can turn any attack into an impossible race.
Dembele, Olisse, Doue and even Manu Kone when moving forward from the back give France a huge ability to run into open spaces.
Therefore, the Spanish defensive pair of Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cobarsi should present one of their best matches, maintaining an ideal position that prevents France from exploiting the spaces behind the defensive line.
Round ten…the summit that bears Mbappe’s name
After passing all the previous tests, the biggest challenge remains. Kylian Mbappe enters the semi-finals as the World Cup’s top scorer, shared with Lionel Messi, and is enjoying one of the best periods of his international career.
He no longer needs to touch the ball much to make a difference, as one run, one shot or one creative moment is enough for him to change the fate of an entire match.
The French captain is also aware of the huge responsibility on his shoulders, stressing that he is required to lead the group not only technically, but also morally, as he is the team’s most experienced player at World Cup tournaments.
Spain may manage to dominate the ball, impose their rhythm, limit the threat of Olise and Dembele and overcome the strength of the French defense, but all that will not be enough if they do not find a solution to stop Mbappé.
So the semi-final match looks like a journey over a series of mountain peaks. Each stage holds a different challenge, and each success leads to a more difficult challenge. If Spain manage to overcome the first nine stages, they will find themselves in front of the final summit, where the most dangerous player of the tournament stands and where the place in the World Cup final can be decided by just one shot.
