XXL World Championship, one hundred matches have already been played, 48 teams have started, 12 groups with surprises, an unprecedented tour of 16 matches… And, in the end, the last four were written from the very beginning.
Before the draw, FIFA “protected” the top four in its rankings by placing them in the four corners of the final table in the event of a tie. France, Spain, Argentina and England responded, although this is only the third time in history that only former winners remain at this stage of the competition.
Here’s what you need to know about the two 2026 World Cup Final Four posters.
France – Spain: the Blues want revenge
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While Didier Deschamps wrote French qualifying history by guiding the Blues to the last four of the World Cup three times in a row, the Euros leave a taste of unfinished business. Blame it on Portugal in 2016, but especially Spain in 2024.
La Roja took France out of the final that year, thanks in part to a goal from Lamin Yamal, the Spanish prodigy’s only goal in the tournament. The following year, the Blues couldn’t even take revenge in the Nations League. Trailing 5-1, France lost after insufficiently recovering to 5-4. This was the beginning of the emergence of Michael Olise in the 4-2-3-1 formation, which had time to mature during this World Cup. Spain has been warned.
Stars to watch: Mbappe and Yamal
Captain, scorer, leader… Kylian Mbappe is on a mission in this world championship. The Madrid man, neck-and-neck with Lionel Messi for the top scorer title, will once again lead the Blues to a third successive World Cup final.
Front, Lamin Yamal is playing his first World Cup as he will celebrate his 19th birthday on the eve of the semi-finals. Confident despite the fact that his performance is far from optimal at the moment, he has already begun the duel: “If France should be afraid of anyone, it is us. It was us who knocked them out last time. These are two great teams, two picks among the best in the world, two of the best in my eyes. We’ll see what happens, but we are not afraid,” he said after the quarter-final against Belgium.
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England – Argentina: shock against the backdrop of the Falklands War
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Four years after its coronation in Qatar, Argentina has maintained its momentum. Albiceleste did not waver after her success in the final in Doha on December 18, 2022 and continues to conquer heights. After winning the 2024 Copa America and winning South American qualifying, she is now aiming for a historic double. Despite the not always convincing path at this World Championship.
As for England, we are finally looking to win another title after the disappointments of recent years, be it at the Euros or the World Cup. To achieve this, England have relied on foreign coach Thomas Tuchel, who has brought the Three Lions to his ways and can count on the weightless Jude Bellingham.
See alsoForty years after the Falklands War, the wounds remain deep
At the bottom of the match will be the scar of the 1982 Falklands War between the two countries. Forty-four years later, the memory remains alive, especially among Argentine fans, who always refer to it in their songs. And even today FIFA does not appoint an English referee for Albiceleste matches, and vice versa.
Stars to watch: Kane and Messi
At 39 years old, Lionel Messi I’ve already won everything, be it at the club or with Argentina. However, in his last dance with the Albiceleste, he remains decisive: Pulga have already scored eight goals this season. He is also now the top scorer in the history of the tournament with 21 goals.
Opposite the English captain Harry Kane hopes to finally bring the World Cup back to the home of football, sixty years after the Three Lions’ only title. The 2018 World Cup Golden Boot is now a leader and determined to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.
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