Yamal, Rabiot and other outstanding issues: a Spain-France match will never be just another game.

Spain and France face off in the Nations League semifinals (9:00 PM) in a duel with unfinished business that should never be dismissed as just another match. The national team will defend the title they won in 2023 , the first of the Luis de la Fuente era , and will do so in a radically different vein to the French side.

The national team is the reigning European champion , the tournament in which the two sides last met. In Germany, some people (Rabiot) were vocal: " If Lamine Yamal wants to play in a final, he needs to prove more than he's done." The result is well known: Lamine tied the semifinal, celebrated his qualification with a "speak now," and five days later was crowned European champion.

The reality is different. Spain has had a defined and consistent squad since the arrival of De la Fuente, who knows Las Rozas' emerging talent inside out. Players who are now European champions and permanent fixtures in his plans have passed through his hands. The national team also has luck on its side, a detail worth taking into account, as was evident in the Nations League quarterfinals against the Netherlands.

France, however, is heading into this event with a lot of buzz . The latest news was Zinedine Zidane 's declaration of his interest in managing Les Bleus : "It's a dream, I'm looking forward to it." For now, it seems that Didier Deschamps will be managing his third World Cup despite his poor results at Euro 2021 (eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16) and 2024 (in the semifinals, with an innocuous performance).

The armband, to Mbappé

Deschamps, however, was crowned World Cup champion in 2018 and runner-up in 2022, although no one will remember the latter, as Luis Aragonés famously recalled. However, what will remain in the memory is the handing over of the armband to Kylian Mbappé , whose commitment to the national team was in doubt at the beginning of the season given his absences during the first two international breaks. The star hadn't gotten off to a good start at Real Madrid and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to continue his adaptation.

What had been doubts about his behavior and criticism of his performance turned into a consensus regarding Mbappé, who had a conversation with Griezmann before receiving the armband. Antoine was entitled to the captaincy given his experience , and he didn't like Deschamps' decision at all.

The duel of 2021

The decision was made in March 2023, two years after Spain and France won the 2021 Nations League final 2-1. That day was marked by Mbappé's offside goal , which was scored after Eric García's touch. The goal sparked outrage from both the bench and Luis Enrique.

Now comes another clash between the two teams. Whenever it happens, the Marca cover returns, in which Spain tried to retire Zidane at the 2006 World Cup , but they couldn't (1-3) despite taking the lead. Perhaps it's a good time to end Deschamps' tenure and prolong De la Fuente's tenure indefinitely .