9 goals were scored last time they met. Will Spain-France semifinal be another goal fest?

Dear football fan, what do you expect from tonight's FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal between Spain and France? Do you expect a goal fest or a tidy affair? Could a super-sub like Mikel Merino decide it just before extra time, or will there be penalties?

If one were to go by the last meeting between the sides, expect fireworks. When Spain and France met in the semifinal of the UEFA Nations League on June 5, 2025, it rained goals. Spain prevailed 5-4 after leading 4-0 till the 55th minute.

Kylian Mbappe scored from a penalty in the 59th minute as France almost made a mighty comeback, though Lamine Yamal's brace got the job done for Luis de la Fuente against Didier Deschamps.

Fast-forward a year, and Spain and France do not appear like two sides that could let in a lot of goals. The Spaniards have conceded just once in the whole tournament, while the French have allowed just two goals past Mike Maignan. 

Both teams have shored up their defences since the nine-goal thriller in Stuttgart. Spain replaced their centre-back pairing of Dean Huijsen and Robin Le Normand with Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi, a move that seems to have given them more stability.

The emergence of William Saliba and his pairing with Dayot Upamecano has reinforced the French defence. In the attack, there is not much change, with France relying on Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, with Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue vying for the fourth spot.

At the other end of the pitch, France have hit 16 goals, while Spain have netted 11 times. A marked change in the Spanish attack from the Nations League is the introduction of Alex Baena on the left wing in place of Nico Williams, while Mikel Oyarzabal remains the preferred striker.

When it comes to attempts and shots on target, there isn't much separating the two national teams. Both sides have attempted 110 shots each, only two fewer than Belgium, which lost 1-2 to Spain in the quarterfinals. France have shot 47 times at opposition goals, while Spain are third in the list with 40 shots, just one short of Lionel Messi's Argentina.

France have slightly higher xG (expected goals) at 13.31 compared to Spain at 12.75, but the two sides are only behind Argentina (13.9). The match will kick off at 12.30 am.