Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal will look to continue his remarkable rise when Spain face Kylian Mbappe’s France in Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup semi-final, with a place in the final at stake.
Yamal, who starred against France at Euro 2024, is aiming to follow Mbappe’s path by winning the World Cup as a teenager.
The Barcelona winger scored his first goal of the tournament against Saudi Arabia after recovering from a hamstring injury that had threatened his participation in the competition.
Speaking before the semi-final, Spain captain Rodri urged Yamal to remain patient despite his eagerness to make a bigger impact.
Rodri said the youngster sometimes tries too hard to prove his importance but believes his maturity and talent will continue to benefit the team.
On the other side, France captain Kylian Mbappe is chasing another milestone in an already outstanding World Cup career.
After lifting the trophy in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2022, the 27-year-old is aiming to lead France to a third consecutive World Cup final.
Mbappe, who has scored eight goals in the tournament, is level with Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot and is one goal behind Messi’s all-time World Cup scoring record.
He recently said his priority is to help France reach the final rather than focus on individual statistics.
The semi-final also renews a growing rivalry between the two stars. Yamal has enjoyed the upper hand in recent meetings, winning eight of their last 10 encounters for club and country, while Mbappe has managed only two victories.
The clash is expected to showcase two of world football’s brightest talents as Spain and France battle for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
