FIFA World Cup: Key players to watch as France play Spain in semifinal

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Both sides have some star names among their ranks, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Lamine Yamal set to play a key role in securing their country’s place in Sunday’s final. Here’s a closer look at some of the key players who will decide Tuesday’s first semifinal. The French captain has been in remarkable form at this World Cup, breaking numerous records along the way. After bagging four goals in the group stages, Mbappe has now scored in every knockout round so far, and he has also provided a number of assists. The Real Madrid forward is in the form of his life and is the biggest threat in a star-studded Les Bleus XI. After scoring a hat-trick in a World Cup final loss to Argentina in Qatar, Mbappe will be determined to go one step further this year. Michael Olise may not have got himself on the scoresheet at this World Cup so far, but he is the player that has provided the most assists. He has set up five goals for France, and his partnership with Mbappe has been a highlight of the tournament. The Bayern Munich midfielder has the technical ability to unlock defences, and he will be a key attacking threat in the semifinal with Spain. The dynamic Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) forward came into this tournament looking for his first-ever World Cup goal. He now has five of them. He scored a first-half hat-trick in a group game with Norway and also bagged the second in France’s 2-0 win over Morocco in the quarterfinals. Les Bleus have been having their own Golden Boot competition, with Dembele pushing Mbappe all the way. The pair have now scored 13 goals between them at this World Cup, a feat that has not been achieved by two players from the same country since Brazil’s Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002. At a tournament where stars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane have been prolific, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal has just one goal to date, in a routine 4-0 group drubbing of Saudi Arabia. Despite this, the Barcelona teenage sensation remains a key attacking threat for La Roja and scored against France in the semifinals of Euro 2024. He was awarded player of the match for his performance in Spain’s quarterfinal win over Belgium, and he has also recorded the most successful dribbles at the tournament so far. “I know I can contribute even if I don’t score. I know my movements draw in many opponents, so I do everything I can to help the team,” Yamal said after Spain’s victory over Belgium. The Real Sociedad forward is Spain’s top scorer at this World Cup, and he will be La Roja’s biggest hope for goals in Tuesday’s semifinal. He scored six goals in six games during World Cup qualification and has followed that up with four goals at the tournament proper. Oyarzabal also has experience of scoring crucial goals at the business end of tournaments. He bagged an 86th-minute winner against England in the Euro 2024 final, proving he can perform under pressure on the biggest stage. La Roja will hope for more of the same this week. If Spain need a goal against France in the closing stages of the semifinal, then Luis de la Fuente will be turning to one man on his bench. Mikel Merino has twice played the role of super-sub at this World Cup, coming off the bench to score late winners against Portugal and Belgium. The Arsenal midfielder is unlikely to start against Les Bleus on Tuesday, but he remains a key part of Spain’s squad and will pose a real threat against tired legs towards the end of the match. 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