Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente says Lamine Yamal's best performance of the 2026 World Cup is still to come and hopes it arrives on Tuesday when Spain face France in the semifinal. De la Fuente drew parallels between the two sides, noting France are stronger than when Spain beat them in the Euro 2024 semifinal, while dismissing the label of favourites assigned by French manager Didier Deschamps.
De la Fuente praised France's Kylian Mbappé as a brilliant player and hailed Rodrigo as a vital team leader. He kept his starting lineup under wraps, declining to confirm whether Pedri or Fabián would start, and noted that goalscorer Mikel Merino has not been guaranteed a starting spot despite decisive goals against Portugal and Belgium.
Quoting Julius Caesar, De la Fuente said no achievement comes without suffering, while expressing calm confidence and a desire to compete all the way to the final.