Jules Kounde Responds to Lamine Yamal Before France-Spain World Cup Clash

We’re in for an all-timer when France and Spain meet in the semifinal of the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup on Tuesday, July 14.

The matchup sells itself: two top-three behemoths full of all-world stars vying for the Cup. But Spain’s Lamine Yamal took it upon himself to punch it up anyway.

“If France should fear anyone, it’s us,” Yamal said after Spain defeated Belgium in the quarterfinal, per ESPN’s Sam Marsden. “We have knocked them out. We have beat them two times. Honestly, I think we’re the two best teams at the World Cup, so we’ll see what happens, but we do not have any fear.”

Yamal had previously said France “can’t be better than us” during an interview with Juanma Castaño for El Partidazo de Cope on June 30.

France defender Jules Koundé took his Barcelona teammate’s comments in stride.

“No, in no moment have we felt a lack of respect,” Koundé said, as translated by ESPN. “I know Lamine very well. For me, it’s a show of his confidence. I’ve seen it at Barca. They have confidence in their attitudes and the team they play. I see it as an extra motivation for him and nothing else.”

Spain has defeated France the past two times they’ve played. Ironically, both meetings were semifinal matches. La Roja dispatched Les Bleus in the 2024 European Championship semifinal and again in 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinal. Spain won the 2024 European Championship - their fourth Euro title - but lost to Portugal in the Nations League final.

Spain has not won the men’s World Cup since 2010, however, while France is looking to reach a third straight men’s World Cup final - winning in 2018 and losing to Argentina in 2022.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 8:00 PM.