DistantNews
Support us
🇫🇷 France /Sports

Spain's Lamine Yamal taunts France again before World Cup semifinal

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Lamine Yamal, a forward for Spain's national team, has made provocative social media posts ahead of the World Cup semifinal against France.
  • Yamal previously stated that France should be 'afraid' of Spain, but later adopted a more cautious tone in a press conference.
  • The player shared photos of his past goals against France, including one from the Euro 2024 semifinal, shortly before the match.

Spain's young star Lamine Yamal is once again stoking the rivalry with France ahead of their World Cup semifinal clash. The forward, who scored twice in a previous encounter between the two nations, has taken to social media with taunting messages directed at 'Les Bleus'.

It wasn't misinterpreted. I was asked if I was afraid of France, and I said no. We are at the World Cup.

— Lamine YamalYamal clarified his previous comments about not fearing France during a press conference.

Yamal had previously declared that France should be 'afraid' of the Spanish team. However, in a pre-match press conference, he softened his stance, attributing his earlier comments to a misunderstanding and emphasizing that Spain respects all opponents. He described the upcoming match as the most important of his career and expressed confidence in Spain's chances of winning the World Cup.

It's the most important match of my career.

— Lamine YamalYamal spoke about the significance of the World Cup semifinal.

Despite his more measured press conference remarks, Yamal couldn't resist a final bit of provocation just hours before kickoff. He posted several photos on Instagram, including a striking image of his goal from the Euro 2024 semifinal and another from the 2025 Nations League semifinal where Spain led France 5-1 before ultimately winning 5-4. The latter photo showed Yamal posing pitchside.

We see ourselves as world champions, why not?

— Lamine YamalYamal expressed confidence in Spain's World Cup aspirations.

French players like Ibrahima Konaté and Warren Zaïre-Emery have responded with defiance, stating they fear no one and are entering the semifinal in top condition. The on-field battle is expected to be intense, with Yamal's playful taunts adding another layer to the high-stakes match.

It's football, we fear no one and we arrive at this semifinal in the best possible conditions, everything is green.

— Ibrahima KonatéKonaté responded to Yamal's comments, expressing confidence for France.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog