For the first time since rankings were introduced in 1992, the World Cup semifinals will feature the top 4 teams: Argentina, Spain, France and England.
Today's semifinal features Spain and France and though the former is ranked a notch above Les Bleus, odds are heavily in France's favor as Spain's offense has stumbled through the tournament so far.
Both teams are stacked and feature two of the world's best in France's Kylian Mbappé, who already has 8 tournament goals, and Spain's Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 only yesterday.
Their styles could not be less alike. France attacks in waves with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, who leads the tournament in assists. Spain squeezes. Before Belgium scored on them last Friday in LA, Spain had gone six straight matches without giving up a goal, the longest run in World Cup history, and goalkeeper Unai Simón's 649 scoreless minutes also set a record. Spain doesn't blow teams out. It beat Portugal 1-0 in stoppage time — ending Cristiano Ronaldo's international career in the process — and needed a late winner against Belgium.
Spain has recent history on its side, having beaten France in the Euro 2024 semis (with a 16-year-old Yamal), and again last year in a 5-4 Nations League win (Yamal scored twice in that one).