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WHOs: Spain vs France
What: Semi-final of the UEFA Nations League
Or: Stuttgart Arena, Stuttgart, Germany
When: Thursday June 5, 2025 – 9 p.m. The kick -off (1900 GMT)
How to follow our cover: We will have all the accumulation from 6 p.m. (4 p.m. GMT) Al Jazaera Sport.
The reigning champions Spain faced France, the team that beat them in the 2021 final, in the second semi-final of The UEFA Nations League 2025.
Welcomes Germany or the inaugural winners of Portugal, WednesdayWait in the Sunday’s final.
Al Jazeera Sport is examining the game more closely, which will provide the second finalist for a tournament that replaced the international friendly configuration constantly evolving on the continent.
Who beat Spain and France in the quarter -finals of the nations?
Spain beat the Netherlands 5-4 in the penalties after their quarter-final finished 5-5 in aggregate on both legs.
France also needed penalties to progress in their last equality against Croatia after a 2-2 draw on aggregates. The Croats had won the 2-0 match at home.
The two nations have exceeded their Ligue A groups.
What happened the last time that Spain played France?
The games played a dramatic semi-final Euro 2024, won by Spain 2-1.
By dragging after Randal Kolo Muani headed for a Mbappe Kylian cross in the ninth minute, Spain turned the match in a fast four -minute gust, scoring twice against a team that had conceded only one goal in five previous games in the tournament.
The match is best known for the feeling of 16 -year -old Spain Lamine Yamal, who became the youngest goal scorer during a European championship when he triggered a fascinating strike from the outside of the 21st minute box to find the equalizer.
Spain then took the lead for good for 25 minutes when Dani Olmo gathered a loose ball and fired a low blow in the net with the help of a deviation off Jules Kounde.
Who beat Spain in the 2023 Nations final?
Spain – who was defeated finalists in the 2021 edition of the tournament, which takes place over a period of two years – Beat Croatia 5-4 on penalties After a draw in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in June 2023.
In the 2021 final, the Spaniards were beaten 2-1 by France, which they faced in the second semi-final on Thursday. Their victory in 2023 ended an 11 -year -old silverware search.
Is this the beginning of the resurgence of Spain?
Spain aims to become the first team to defend the Trophy of the League of Nations, with the Luis de la Fuente team by force on the international scene before the next year World Cup.
Their victory in 2023 proved the springboard to Euro 2024 Glory. Maintaining the League of Nations would increase well before The 2026 World Cup In the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer, where Spain will be among the favorites.
After winning the European Championship in 2008 and 2012, by sanctioning their triumph of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Spanish national team collapsed.
The bad outings of the World Cups in Russia and Qatar began to fade from memory, while the Fuente team beat Italy and Croatia to win the 2023 Nations League.
Spain then beat Italy, Germany and France on the way to the final of Euro 2024, where they had the upper hand over England to claim their first major trophy for 12 years.
The team is highly directed by Barcelona’s teenager, the Lamine Yamal, who was 17 years old on the eve of the Euro final, and on the opposite flank, Nico Williams, 22 years old from Bilbao, also has his best years.
News from the Spanish team
Out: Rodri, Carvajal, Laporte, Ayoze Perez, Ferran Torres
Rodri de Manchester City, who has not yet returned to action after missing most of the injured season, remain the main headache of Spain.
However, they have the chance of depth, especially in the midfield, where the former playmaker of Real Madrid Isco could receive an additional playing time, having helped Real Betis in the final of the UEFA conference this season.
News from the French team
Out: Camavonga, Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano
France is without quartet of defenders who exercise their profession in the best leagues in Europe, with Eduard Camavonga from Real Madrid, Jules Kounde de Barcelona, William Saliba d’Arsenal and Dayot Upamecano from Bayern Munich seated in the game.
The French also had nine international players in Final victory of the Paris Saint-Germain Champions League Against Inter Milan on Saturday.
Possible lines:
Spain: Unoi Simon; Mingueza, Cubersi, Huijsen, Cucurella; Pedri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Williams; Morata
France: Maignan; Gusto, Konate, Lucas Hernandez, Digne; Tchouameni, kone, rabiot; Olise, mbappe, kolo muani
Form guide: last five games
Spain: DDWWW (most recent match first)
France: Wp
Tête-à-tête
The nations met 15 times, Spain being victorious seven times, including their victory in Euro 2024, while France won six of the games.
What did the managers said before the semi-final?
Luis de la Fuente, Spanish coach: “We have in this tournament the three previous winners of the League of Nations, three previous winners of the World Cup and a previous winner in Euro. You certainly cannot call her a minor tournament, and we attach great importance to her.
“I have always said since I arrived that this tournament is actually more difficult than the euro in the group phase. We will give it everything, and we want to make the story by becoming the first team to win the League of Nations twice. We will continue to participate in the highest level against these teams which could easily be in a final of the World Cup or another major final tomorrow.”
Didier Deschamps, French coach: “This Spanish team has already shown its quality, and they are the best teams in Europe and probably the best in the world. They can also have some fresher players. But my team always has the ability to maintain a solid collective and technical rhythm.
“I have not yet seen a team that has really found a solution to stop Yamal. Add tastes from Nico Williams and it is clear that Spain has a lot of pace. But that does not mean that we will approach this match by waving the white flag.”
Where will the final of the UEFA Nations Final be staged?
The Allianz Arena of Munich, which was also chosen for the first semi-final, will stage the final on Sunday.
Does the success of the League of Nations bring a qualification of the World Cup?
The teams that finish in the first two of their World Cup qualification groups in Europe will automatically switch to the FIFA World Cup.
The four best placed teams in the Nations League who did not finish in the first two of their World Cup qualification groups then have an additional blow to reach the centerpiece of the world game.
This is an additional incitement to all the teams as a safeguard plan if their official world cup qualification campaign falls flat.
