Kylian Mbappe insists he’s “completely fine” after an ankle scare, while Spain arrive in Dallas with barely a fitness concern to their name
Kylian Mbappe insists he’s “completely fine” after an ankle scare, while Spain arrive in Dallas with barely a fitness concern to their nameThree days out from one of the biggest matches either nation has played in years, here’s a full rundown of the France vs Spain team news and injury situation ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Both squads have had scares to manage this week, though the picture looks considerably rosier for Luis de la Fuente’s Spain than it does for Didier Deschamps’ France.
France: Mbappe’s Ankle, Tchouameni’s Race and a Defensive Scare
Kylian Mbappe — expected to start. France’s captain sustained a knock to his ankle in the closing stages of the 2-0 quarterfinal win over Morocco, withdrawn in the 77th minute and seen applying ice to the area afterward. Mbappe told reporters he was “completely fine” following the match, and while the exact nature of the issue hasn’t been officially confirmed, medical observers have suggested a Grade 1 ankle sprain is the most likely diagnosis — the kind of knock that typically doesn’t rule a player out, though it’s still a detail worth monitoring given how central he is to everything France do going forward. He enters the semifinal on eight goals, level with Lionel Messi at the top of the Golden Boot standings and one goal shy of Messi’s all-time World Cup scoring record.
Aurelien Tchouameni — possible return. The Real Madrid midfielder has missed France’s last two matches after picking up a muscle issue in training on July 3. His possible return date lines up with the Spain match itself, meaning Deschamps could have a genuine selection boost in central midfield if Tchouameni proves his fitness in the final training sessions before kickoff.
Manu Kone — fitness doubt eased. Kone was withdrawn in the 71st minute of the quarterfinal win over Morocco after struggling with a minor knee problem and general fatigue, but the substitution is understood to have been precautionary rather than a sign of a serious issue, meaning he should be available for selection against Spain, likely competing directly with Tchouameni for a starting midfield spot.Lamine Yamal FIFA World Cup 2026: Profile, Stats & Career | StrikerReport
Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba — cause for slight concern, but expected to play. Both central defenders missed France’s training session on Saturday ahead of the squad’s departure for Dallas, according to reports from L’Equipe. Upamecano is said to have picked up a sudden foot issue, while Saliba continues to manage some back discomfort — though French outlets have described Saliba’s absence as more of a planned rest day than a genuine fitness concern, and both are expected to be passed fit in time for kickoff.In His Own Words: 10 Kylian Mbappe Quotes That Define the Man Behind the Myth
Suspensions: none. France have no players suspended for the semifinal, with all yellow cards wiped from the slate ahead of the final four — good news in particular for Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise and Kone, all of whom had been carrying a booking heading into the quarterfinal.
Spain: A Near-Spotless Bill of Health
Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino — back available. Both wingers have recovered from mid-tournament injuries and are once again available for selection, giving de la Fuente extra attacking rotation options off the bench heading into the business end of the competition.
Victor Munoz — a doubt. The winger is the one genuine fitness question mark in the Spain camp, though beyond his specific case, the squad is otherwise described as having a clean bill of health — a notable contrast to the injury list France are currently working through.
No reported suspensions of note complicate Spain’s planning for the semifinal, giving de la Fuente full access to his first-choice group heading into Tuesday’s match.
What This Means for Both Managers
For Deschamps, the picture is one of cautious optimism rather than outright alarm. Mbappe’s own insistence that he’s fine, combined with the encouraging signs around Tchouameni’s recovery timeline, suggests France should have close to a full-strength squad available, even if Saliba and Upamecano’s training absences will be watched closely in the final days before kickoff. The bigger open question is less about who’s fit and more about selection: with Kone, Tchouameni and Rabiot all vying for midfield minutes, and Doue and Barcola rotating on the left of France’s front line, Deschamps has selection depth rather than selection headaches to manage.
De la Fuente, by contrast, arrives in Dallas with about as clean an injury sheet as any manager could hope for at this stage of a World Cup. The return of Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino gives him even more attacking depth than he had heading into the quarterfinal win over Belgium, and with Victor Munoz representing the squad’s only real fitness doubt, Spain’s team news picture heading into the semifinal is refreshingly uncomplicated compared to their opponents’.
Why the Fitness Picture Matters So Much Here
Given how significant this fixture is — both nations’ first-ever World Cup meeting since 2006, and the first time these two European heavyweights have faced off at the semifinal stage of the sport’s biggest tournament — even minor fitness doubts take on outsized importance. Mbappe playing at anything less than full sharpness would be a considerable blow to France’s title hopes given his tournament-leading form, while Spain’s ability to field a fully rested, fully fit squad could prove decisive in a match many expect to be extremely tight given the two sides’ recent history against one another.
Final Word
Barring a late setback, both squads look on course to field close to full-strength lineups for Tuesday’s semifinal, even if France’s injury list reads considerably longer than Spain’s heading into matchday. Mbappe’s ankle, Tchouameni’s recovery timeline and the Saliba-Upamecano training absences are all worth monitoring right up until team news is confirmed, but nothing currently reported suggests either side will be forced into dramatic late changes for one of the biggest matches of the tournament so far.
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