June 5 – In the second semi-final of the Nations League, the competition’s last two winners Spain and France meet again, with La Roja seeking to bolster their dominance of the international game.
Luis de la Fuente’s team returns to Stuttgart a year after their Euro 2024 triumph, which marked their fourth continental crown. In the semis, they defeated Les Bleus with a dominant display. Youthful wingers Lamine Yamal – a global star in his own right now – and Nico Williams gave the team more directness, something their opponents at Euro 2024 could not deal with. The 2-1 final victory formed part of a summer of Spain success with a treble of trophies – Euro 2024, the U-19 European Championship and the Olympic Games.
At the senior level, La Roja can also aim for a treble. They are already European champions, defending Nations League champions and next year the first 48-team World Cup awaits in the United States, Mexico and Canada. With their strength in depth and playing style, the team must be considered one of the frontrunners for the ultimate prize and the Nations League Final Four will provide Spain with a good opportunity to maintain their momentum.
Spain are in the competition to win it. Last year, Yamal was among the chief players to hurt France, and Spain will be hoping for more of the same. De La Fuente said: “I’ve always said since I arrived that this tournament is actually more difficult than the EURO in the group stage. We’ll give it everything, and we want to make history by becoming the first team to win the Nations League twice. We will keep competing at the highest level against these teams that could easily be in a World Cup final or another major final tomorrow.”
Les Bleus eliminated Croatia in the quarter-finals, but they needed penalties to overcome Croatia 5-4 following a 2-2 aggregate draw. Deschamps understands that his side will need to improve. However, seven of his players featured in last Saturday’s Champions League final which may influence his starting XI.
The French manager is preparing for his last year in charge of France as he will step down after the 2026 World Cup. His team has often been accused of not maximising its potential.
Deschamps said: “Ideally against a rival like Spain we need to be sufficiently solid at the back. But if we’re only planning to defend then there’s no point in playing a football game. We need to strike the balance between defending and attacking. When we’ve got the ball there’s no issues, but our opponent likes possession and tends to keep it more than most teams. The primary objective is that we need a team which is capable of making life difficult for Spain.”
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1749224067labto1749224067ofdlr1749224067owedi1749224067sni@i1749224067tnuk.1749224067ardni1749224067mas1749224067