Spain ready to face France in World Cup semi-final, Yamal

Spain forward Lamine Yamal says his team will take on France in their FIFA World Cup semi-final without any fear. This comes after Spain's 2-1 win over Belgium in the quarter-finals.

The match in Dallas will feature two of the top teams in the tournament. France is looking to reach the World Cup final for the third time in a row. Spain, on the other hand, wants to keep their winning streak against Les Bleus, having beaten them in their last two games.

Yamal said, “There are two possibilities: either they reach three World Cup finals in a row, or we beat them three times. I don’t know what might happen, but we’re not afraid at all.” He made this comment after Spain's win, according to a report on FIFA's website released on Friday.

“I’m really happy with the win. Back in the semi-finals again. That’s what we came here for, to play these matches and win them. Now it’s time to rest and start thinking about the match against France,” he added.

Yamal was named the Superior Player of the Match after a strong performance, which included Mikel Merino’s late goal that secured Spain's place in the semi-finals.

Even though he has only scored once in the tournament so far, the 18-year-old said his main goal is to help the team, not to chase personal stats. “Obviously I wanted to score because it helps the team, but I don’t go out onto the pitch thinking about that. If I win the World Cup, I don’t think anyone’s going to remember how many goals I’ve scored or missed.”

He continued, “If we win, we’ll all be happy. If I win the player of the match award, all the better, but above all, I want the team to win.”

Yamal also talked about how his movement on the field can help create chances for his teammates, even when he is not directly involved in the play.

“I know that my runs draw in a lot of opponents and that I can leave a teammate unmarked. The important thing is that we’ve come here to win, and anything I can do to help, even if I don’t touch the ball in a move, will be a good thing.”

He addressed concerns about his scoring, saying the team's success is what matters. “I think the whole goal business has got into everyone’s heads, and we won the European Championship with me scoring just one goal. I only scored one goal then, and I’ve already scored one this time. They can rest easy.”