The ten challenges Spain must win to eliminate France and Mbappé

Spain are just one win away from reaching the 2026 World Cup final, but to do so they must overcome the tournament's toughest obstacle: France. Didier Deschamps' side have been among the most convincing at the World Cup, remaining unbeaten and displaying an attack that has produced more goals than any other team.

According to an analysis by Marca, "La Roja" must overcome ten crucial tests to eliminate the French and secure a place in the grand final.

The first challenge will be to exploit the spaces on the flanks of the French defence. Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are expected to play a key role in challenging Jules Koundé and Lucas Digne, although the Barcelona defender has warned that the danger for Spain does not come only from Yamal.

Another crucial element will be possession. With players like Pedri, Rodri, Dani Olmo and Fabián Ruiz, Spain will aim to dictate the pace of the game and keep France out of their own half. The Iberians are the team with the most possession at this World Cup and among the teams that recover the ball the quickest after losing it.

However, dominating the game should not be accompanied by a loss of balance. Any mistake can be immediately punished by the speed of Mbappé, Dembélé, Oliseh or Doués, who are among the most dangerous players on the counterattack.

The French defense also poses a challenge in its own right. The Saliba-Upamecano duo has been among the strongest of the tournament, while the pressure that the French exert as soon as they lose the ball makes life significantly more difficult for their opponents.

In the offensive department, in addition to Mbappé, special attention should be paid to Michael Oliseh. The Bayern Munich midfielder has been the main organizer of France's attacks and the best assister of the tournament, being compared by Thierry Henry to NFL legend Tom Brady for the accuracy of his passes.

Ousmane Dembélé is equally dangerous. The current Ballon d'Or winner is having a brilliant World Cup, with five goals and a constant influence on France's attacking play.

The statistics speak in favor of "Les Bleus". With 16 goals scored and an average of more than 2.5 goals per game, France has the most efficient attack of the tournament and has shown that it needs only a few chances to punish its opponents.

Another weapon of Deschamps' team is their ability to strike at moments when the game seems balanced. A ball recovery, a quick counterattack or an individual moment can change the fate of the challenge in a matter of seconds.

Speed ​​remains one of France's strengths. Mbappé has recorded the fastest sprint of the World Cup, while Dembélé, Doué, Oliseh and Koné make every offensive transition extremely dangerous. If Spain decide to keep their defense high, Laporte and Cubarsí will have to be perfect in covering the spaces.

In the end, it all comes down to France's biggest name. Kylian Mbappé, along with Lionel Messi, leads the tournament's scoring charts and remains the player who can decide a match with a single move.

Spain can dominate possession and control the midfield, but if they want a ticket to the World Cup final, they will have to find a way to neutralize the most dangerous man in this World Cup: Kylian Mbappé.