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France v Spain team news: Barcola in for Doue

14 July 2026 247 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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100 matches down, four to go: it’s World Cup semi-final time as France meet Spain.

Kick-off in Dallas is at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Les Bleus make two changes from the 2-0 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals.

One is expected as Aurélien Tchouaméni ($6.5m) returns from injury to replace Manu Koné ($6.1m) in the engine room.

The other alteration is more of a surprise Рor at least, it was until the news broke on social media earlier this afternoon. Bradley Barcola ($8.0m) comes in for Desire Dou̩ ($7.5m) on the wing.

As for Spain, Luis de la Fuente has named the same side that started Friday’s quarter-final win over Belgium.

Mikel Merino ($6.2m), the match-winner in each of the past two rounds, has to settle for substitute duty once again.

Pedri ($8.1m) is once more kept out of the side by Fabian Ruiz ($6.8m).

Now that we’ve seen the line-ups, we know that only four starters qualify for Scouting Bonus. Unsurprisingly, they are the four central midfielders: Ruiz, Rodri ($7.5m), Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot ($6.4m).

LINE-UPS

France XI: Maignan, Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Dembele, Olise, Barcola, Mbappe.

Subs: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Kone, Thuram, Kante, Konate, Zaire-Emery, Theo Hernandez, Doue, Lucas Hernandez, Mateta, Cherki, Akliouche, Lacroix.

Spain XI: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Fabian, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, Oyarzabal.

Subs: Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Gonzalez, Munoz, Iglesias.

PRE-DEADLINE READS

247 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    2 hours, 30 mins ago

    France playing without much confidence. Need a moment of magic.. or a soft penalty too

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 42 mins ago

      A refresher on the offside law would be a start..

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      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 hour, 40 mins ago

        lol…

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    2. JBG
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 42 mins ago

      The attacking players should start throwing themselves at the defenders feet while they're trying to clear the ball.

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      1. Feanor
        • 17 Years
        1 min ago

        Still crying when Digne missed the ball by yards lol

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  2. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 24 mins ago

    VAR overrules free kicks now?

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  3. lilmessipran
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 23 mins ago

    Wait, VAR can overturn freekicks now as well? What we doing here

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    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 35 mins ago

      Must be new rule!

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  4. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 22 mins ago

    French losing their minds a bit… Rabiot could’ve picked up a second yellow there

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  5. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    2 hours, 22 mins ago

    Every 30 seconds there is a foul

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  6. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    2 hours, 18 mins ago

    Need to bring on Dembele in the second half.

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    1. Mozumbus
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 30 mins ago

      Lol

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    2. PartyTime
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      Tchouameni needs to at least try more forward passes if he has no license to press higher up.

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      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 22 mins ago

        Yeah, if they bring Kone in for Rabiot, Tchouameni will get that freedom.

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        1. Mozumbus
          • 4 Years
          1 hour, 16 mins ago

          True
          Why didn't he start

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  7. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    2 hours, 16 mins ago

    Would be quite funny if france vs Argentina would be the 3rd place playoff..

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    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 29 mins ago

      Wouldn't mind it at all.

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    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 29 mins ago

      I’d love it. LOVE IT!

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  8. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 12 mins ago

    Pen was the only first half shot on target

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    1. Steavn8k
      • 3 Years
      1 hour, 31 mins ago

      It all feels quite dull doesn't it?

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  9. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 2 mins ago

    Why do they go back to the commentators, just so they can say they’ll be back with the second half shortly, then return to the adverts?

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  10. Steavn8k
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 56 mins ago

    Am I just getting old and tired, or does this match feel more like a summer fun time game in the us, than a world cup semi?

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    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 28 mins ago

      Rodri doing Rodri things, certainly hasn’t been anywhere near the classic we’d hoped for…Doue coming on

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  11. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 49 mins ago

    Porroooo

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  12. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 49 mins ago

    Got this one completely wrong... Thought France would win this rather easily.

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    1. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 45 mins ago

      Easy for either of these games would have been a bold call.

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    2. Winging it
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 39 mins ago

      Based on what though? Spain have beaten France in their previous two meetings, they know how to play them.

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  13. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 49 mins ago

    That could be that…Porro 2-0

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  14. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 48 mins ago

    Wow. Spain thru to final. Cant see france comeback now

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  15. lilmessipran
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 48 mins ago

    COYS!

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    1. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 25 mins ago

      S for Spain here

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  16. The Mandalorian
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 48 mins ago

    The French starting 11 is made up of 10 players from African descent, yet everyone sings the national anthem with pride.

    Now compare the England players who refuse to sing their anthem or quietly mumble the words.

    It just shows the difference in unity between the two nations.

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    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      1 hour, 47 mins ago

      What total crap.

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    2. Riverside Red
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      1 hour, 43 mins ago

      Absolute tosh....are you French?....your teams taking a he'll of a beating

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    3. Winging it
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 hour, 41 mins ago

      Yet another person waffling about the French national team being African, give it rest for goodness sake. Just a ridiculous comment all round this.

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    4. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 37 mins ago

      I didnt see spain players singing either..

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    5. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      1 min ago

      One of the biggest bellends on here

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  17. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 47 mins ago

    2-0 Spain

    Porro goal, Olmo assist

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  18. JBG
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 46 mins ago

    Welp that's, most likely, that. Hopefully England does the business tomorrow.

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  19. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 45 mins ago

    Nearly 3-0, France currently collapsing…

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  20. lilmessipran
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 43 mins ago

    Tactics and teamplay have been outdoing the attacking star power so far. Still time for those stars to shine.

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  21. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 42 mins ago

    Rodri has bossed this one…

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    1. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 17 mins ago

      Indeed

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  22. EmreCan Hustle
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 39 mins ago

    Digne is clearly the weak link.

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    1. Riverside Red
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      48 mins ago

      Come on, don't make him the scapegoat, Spain have been better in nearly every position.

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  23. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 39 mins ago

    Is this the same Pedro Porro that plays for Spurs or his brother?

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    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      49 mins ago

      He and cucurella are beasts for spain but ordinary for club

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  24. SM001
    • 10 Years
    1 hour, 39 mins ago

    I only just noticed Doue is on the pitch. He's been on nearly 10 mins.

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    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 13 Years
      1 hour, 14 mins ago

      Have noticed Dembele in the pitch?

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      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 13 Years
        1 hour, 14 mins ago

        *on

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  25. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 38 mins ago

    Digne is so poor. Is he frances best left back?

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    1. AAAFootball
      • 1 Year
      51 mins ago

      Lucas Hernandez and theo Hernandez the only other options really

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    2. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      50 mins ago

      Think they started with Theo as first choice then switched to Digne

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      1. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        48 mins ago

        Well now digne off, theo in

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  26. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 35 mins ago

    Ruiz has actually been immense. Making Tchouameni look mediocre

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  27. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 32 mins ago

    I played maximum captain and my gk simon on 14 pts is doubled. Lol. Last person i thought

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  28. lilmessipran
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 32 mins ago

    Oyarzabal almost as underrated as Giroud was for France.

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  29. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 29 mins ago

    The depth on these benches is hilarious…

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    1. Steavn8k
      • 3 Years
      35 mins ago

      B teams of both nations are better than most teams this tournament.

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  30. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 29 mins ago

    Merino on. We know what happens next

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    1. Steavn8k
      • 3 Years
      1 hour, 5 mins ago

      Well do we, now that they don't need a goal? Might end up reverse effecting.

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