DALLAS STADIUM — Lamine Yamal has no fear. We already knew that about the teenage sensation, who turned 19 on Monday — one day before the biggest match of his young career. He looked every bit the superstar while confidently addressing a packed room of reporters, diamond necklaces draped around his neck.
Spain faces France in the World Cup semifinal Tuesday afternoon at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, with a place in the final on the line. It marks the third straight summer the two nations have met in the semifinals of a major tournament. Spain won the previous two encounters — a dramatic 5-4 victory in the 2025 Nations League and a 2-1 triumph at Euro 2024.
Yamal played in both of those matches. He was just 16 during the Euros, when he became the youngest goalscorer in men's major tournament history by scoring a stunning equalizer against France. Spain went on to lift the European Championship trophy, and Yamal was named the tournament's best young player.
He has since helped Barcelona win back-to-back La Liga titles. There’s plenty more accolades and trophies to come. And he hopes that starts with another victory over Les Bleus on Tuesday.
"Tomorrow will be a very special day," Yamal said via interpreter during Monday’s press conference. While soccer’s most famous stars have dominated headlines at this World Cup, Yamal has been on the quieter side of things. Even his younger brother has captured the hearts of fans around the world.
Yamal, though, has scored only once, with 10 shots on target. He entered the summer recovering from a left hamstring injury, but quickly regained his fitness and scored 10 minutes into his first World Cup start in Spain’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the group stage. On Spain’s social media account, Yamal called it "the most important goal I have scored so far." Monday, the spotlight was on him.
He’s aware his performances have been debated in the media. But any criticism doesn’t seem to faze him. "Everyone is saying that I’m not giving my best performance," Yamal said via interpreter.
"So you shouldn’t expect anything from me." After Spain’s 2-1 win over Belgium last week, Yamal was asked about playing France again in a knockout game. Given the teams' recent history, he said that "if France has to fear anyone, it should be us, in my opinion. We were the ones that knocked them out before." Yamal answered honestly when asked about those comments.
"I was asked whether I feared France, and I said no because we are the European champions," Yamal said, plainly. "And we don’t fear anyone." French players mostly seemed unbothered by what Yamal said. "For me, it’s a sign of confidence," defender Jules Koundé, who plays with Yamal at Barcelona, said via interpreter.
"He always does this. So I see nothing as an extra motivation for him and that’s it, that’s all." Added Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, through translation: "Football is a team sport. Lamine has extraordinary qualities.
He can do anything — shoot the ball, dribble, pass the ball, everything. "But we also have our qualities. We have our attacking players, we have substitutes, it’s a collective sport.
And before talking about Lamine, we should talk about all of Spain. They have world-class players in all positions, and the same goes for our squad." The stars will be out for both semifinals. Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi are dueling for the Golden Boot with both currently sitting on eight goals.
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are carrying England’s hopes of ending decades of heartbreak. Spain’s depth and defensive prowess have been among the most dominant forces at this World Cup. But against France, eyes will be on Yamal in his greatest test yet.
"I just told him to be calm tomorrow, to enjoy and to forget about anxiety," Spain manager Luis de la Fuente told reporters on Monday. "He should enjoy football, as he does. And a big day from Lamine is yet to come at this World Cup.
So I hope tomorrow is his day. If not, the final, if we qualify."
