France are just one win away from reaching their third consecutive World Cup final and fifth in eight tournaments, as they prepare to take on Spain Tuesday in pursuit of extending their era of dominance.
To get there, Didier Deschamps's side must overcome the team who have repeatedly blocked their path in recent years and whose defense has been breached only once at this tournament.
Spain, who have had a see-saw progression here, eliminated France in the Euro 2024 semifinals and beat them again in a nine-goal Nations League thriller last year, but this time Les Bleus arrive with the competition's two most prolific forwards – Kylian Mbappe on eight goals and Ousmane Dembele on five – and a much more balanced team.
There is considerable continuity between the teams who met in Munich two years ago, when Spain recovered from Randal Kolo Muani's early header to win 2-1 with goals from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo.
Seven of the players who started for France that night could again be in the line-up in Dallas, but the resemblance largely ends there.
