On Bastille Day, Didier Deschamps will stride out for a record 26th World Cup match as France manager — but his captain is nursing an ankle. Kylian Mbappe trained separately on Monday after picking up an injury, casting doubt over his availability for Tuesday's semi-final against Spain in Dallas.
The footballing world has been waiting for this showdown. France, 2018 champions, are aiming for a third successive final, while Spain — winners in 2010 — are bidding to become only the fourth team to hold both the World Cup and European Championship titles simultaneously.
“Mbappe injury scare clouds France's World Cup semi-final against Spain on Bastille Day.”
Deschamps has built his reputation on consistency. He took over a fractured squad in 2012 after the farce of South Africa 2010, and over 14 years has turned France into a relentless tournament machine. In 25 World Cup matches as coach, he has won 20, drawn three and lost just two — the quarter-final defeat to Germany in 2014 and a meaningless group game against Tunisia four years ago. "It's not luck," Thierry Henry said.
If France win the final on Sunday, Deschamps will match Vittorio Pozzo's feat of two World Cups as head coach (1934 and 1938). Only Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo have won the World Cup as both player and manager — Deschamps already has that, having captained France in 1998 and managed them in 2018.
Mbappe remains the tournament's most feared attacker. With eight goals in six games he leads the Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi, and has made 11 goal contributions — more than anyone else. His 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid last season made him top scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League. He has already surpassed Miroslav Klose's record of 16 World Cup goals (with 19), and only Messi (20) has more all-time. "For me it's just ambition and confidence," Olivier Giroud told BBC Match of the Day. "He knows where he wants to go. He is a leader."
But a quiet World Cup so far from Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has left the 17-year-old still searching for a defining moment. Yamal is looking to replicate what Mbappe did to Lionel Messi in 2018 — announce himself on the biggest stage.
Deschamps will hope his captain is fit to lead the line. France have reached three successive semi-finals, a feat achieved only by Germany and Brazil before them. For Mbappe, the prize is Pele's record of three World Cup triumphs. First, he must get past Spain.