Kylian Mbappé is on a mission to break a curse against Lamine Yamal as France takes on Spain in the World Cup semifinal at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday. Mbappé has asserted his dominance on the world stage with a tournament-high eight goals, but he's never beaten Yamal in an elimination match at the club and international level.
What's at stake for Kylian Mbappé?
Mbappé will be hoping to break the curse and make his third appearance in the World Cup final. He's been in scintillating form, scoring eight goals in the tournament so far. But Yamal has a mental advantage, having beaten Mbappé in all five of their previous elimination matches.
A look back at their previous encounters
The first time these two faced off in a single-elimination match was in the Euro 2024 semifinal. Spain came into that match flying, having put together a marvelous tournament up to that point. La Roja went perfect in the group stage, winning all three matches, then beat Georgia comfortably in the round of 16 before knocking out host nation Germany in the quarterfinals.
France, meanwhile, had a relatively slow start to the tournament. Les Bleus failed to win their group, managing five points in the group stage, before grinding out knockout wins over Belgium and Portugal. Spain had the momentum, but an early goal from Randal Kolo Muani stirred the pot and gave France the lead. Then came a moment of magic from Yamal, who scored a long-distance pearler to bring Spain level.
Yamal's winning streak against Mbappé
Yamal has a winning streak against Mbappé, having beaten him in all five of their previous elimination matches. He'll be hoping to maintain the status quo and make his first-ever World Cup final appearance. Mbappé, on the other hand, will be looking to break the curse and prove his dominance on the world stage.
What comes next?
The World Cup semifinal between France and Spain is set to be a thrilling encounter. Mbappé will be looking to break the curse and make his third appearance in the World Cup final. Yamal, on the other hand, will be hoping to maintain the status quo and make his first-ever World Cup final appearance. The match is set to be a closely contested encounter, with both teams looking to make their mark on the world stage.
The stage is set for a thrilling encounter
The stage is set for a thrilling encounter between France and Spain. Mbappé will be looking to break the curse and make his third appearance in the World Cup final. Yamal, on the other hand, will be hoping to maintain the status quo and make his first-ever World Cup final appearance. The match is set to be a closely contested encounter, with both teams looking to make their mark on the world stage.