Didier Deschamps confirms Spain is the favorite over France in the semifinals

In an unexpected turn, French national team coach Didier Deschamps has declared Spain the favorite to win the 2026 North American World Cup. Deschamps, speaking at a press conference, strategically placed the pressure on La Roja, particularly referencing their recent encounters.

"Based on what Spain has done since the first match and throughout the [World Cup], they have confirmed they are the favorite. I don't want to put pressure on Luis [de la Fuente, Spain's coach] and his team, but he knows people expect a lot from Spain. We know their strengths and are aware of their players' quality... we also have our strong points," Deschamps stated.

Despite shifting the favorite status, the 1998 World Cup winner as a player and 2018 winner as a coach, insisted that the upcoming semifinal match against Spain is not about revenge. He acknowledged past losses but stressed that the current game is in a different context with different player dynamics.

"It's no kind of revenge; they beat us twice, but I'm looking at tomorrow's game. There are no lessons to be learned here; the players are the same, and we are not talking about the same level of national teams. Tomorrow will be a fight on the pitch, it will be spectacular," he anticipated.

Deschamps concluded by outlining the keys to the semifinal. He stressed the importance of avoiding "silly mistakes" and meticulously planning every detail to secure a spot in the final, aiming for France's third consecutive World Cup final appearance.