The clash of European Titans, Spain and France is the fist semi final of the 2026 World Cup.
Morocco could not produce a surprise and therefore, the French are through to the penultimate game.
In the match against Morocco, Les Bleus looked superior and the win was an emphatic one.
That France is a favourite has been a major observation from the start of the tournament.
Despite all the focus on them, the team never looked or acted complacent. Instead, they carried the dogged resolution of the Musketeers.
At least eight out of ten people I talked to pointed to France being the favourite against Spain.
Two French players, Jules Kounde and Ibrahim Konate play for Spanish sides, Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively and the Spanish style of play is not unknown to the French.
Spain on the other hand has moved ahead slowly but assuredly. Their only hiccup was the draw against dark horses Cape Verde.
In the match against Belgium, they were the favourites as the Belgium defence line was being subjected to an onslaught. Belgium scored on the counter, but the match vibe hinted to an eventual Spanish victory.
Spain is here to win another trophy while in recent times due to the popularity of Spanish clubs, a sizeable number of Bangladeshi youth support Spain.
France also has a following thanks to the presence of her cultural centre, The Alliance Francaise. Growing support for France can also be attributed to the visit of French superstar Zinedine Zidane to Bangladesh in 2006.
At that time, Zidane played with young football talents at the national stadium, visited villages and took photos with thousands of elated football lovers.
Recently, the French Ambassador to Bangladesh, Jean-Marc Sere Charlet, is believed to have expressed optimism that the World Cup and the French team’s impressive performance would inspire and motivate young Bangladeshis.
“Since France is a major footballing power, a skill development programme with French support can be used to identify, nurture and develop young footballers, especially strikers”, commented Alamgir Hossain, a former Muktijoddha KC player, and currently a staffer at the Dhaka Medical College.
“Instead of focusing on the capital, two or three academies with foreign assistance should be enough to discover hidden talents across the country”, he added.
Coming to the France-Spain match, it will be an aggressive fast paced attacking style of the French against the Tiki-taka dependent Spain.
Mbappe is in imperious form with the team determined to get the trophy, which they feel were taken away from them the last time. Well, only time will tell, which side will move to the final.
Will the Armada move ahead, or will the Musketeers’ swagger demolish the opponent?
