Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French national team, confirmed that the Spanish national team is still the most prominent candidate to win the 2026 World Cup title, before the expected confrontation that will bring the two teams together on Tuesday evening in the semi-finals of the tournament.
Deschamps said during the press conference that preceded the match: “In my opinion, Spain is still the first candidate to win the World Cup.” He added: “I do not seek to impose more pressure on Luis de la Fuente and his players, but he is well aware of the extent of the expectations and ambitions surrounding his team.”
The French coach praised the defensive system presented by the Spanish team, noting that “La Roja” conceded only one goal in seven matches, stressing at the same time that the great offensive capabilities possessed by the two teams may make the confrontation open and full of excitement.
Deschamps explained: “Luis and I care. A lot of defensive organization, but when both sides have this amount of offensive quality, it is natural to expect a strong and enjoyable match.”
The France coach recalled his statements he made before the start of the tournament, when he confirmed that Spain was the first candidate to win the title, saying: “My position has not changed. I saw from the beginning that Spain was the most fortunate, and I am still convinced of that.”
Regarding the physical condition of Aurelien Chouamini and Kylian Mbappé, he said: “Chuameni has not reached his level of readiness.” "But he is clearly improving. His absence for a short period will not change anything, as this is the World Cup semi-final and he cannot miss it, and he will be present. As for Mbappe, he is fully prepared. He trained normally and will participate in the match."
Regarding the possibility of considering the match an opportunity for revenge for France's loss in the last two matches against Spain, Deschamps confirmed that this matter is not on his mind, and he said: "I am not thinking about revenge, because everything that happened is now in the past, and the only goal is He booked a ticket to the final.”
He concluded his statements by saying: “This will be our third match against Spain in the semi-finals of a major tournament. I hope we avoid easy mistakes, but football is always full of surprises, so we have to be prepared for all scenarios.”