Didier Deschamps must solve a significant selection puzzle ahead of France's crucial match against Spain. The French coach has seven players who recently competed in the Champions League final with "PSG", creating a challenging situation for team composition.
France approaches this fixture with an intense hunger for redemption. After a disappointing previous Nations League campaign, "Les Bleus" managed to win their group this time around, edging out "Italy" on goal difference.
"Every match requires difficult decisions, but having players who participated in high-level competitions brings valuable experience to our squad," Deschamps might say about his selection headache.
The French team demonstrated remarkable character in their quarter-final against "Croatia". After falling behind 0:2 in the first match, they fought back in Paris to level the aggregate score before securing victory in a penalty shootout. This resilience earned them a spot in the World Cup 2026 qualifying group alongside Ukraine.
Despite suffering three defeats in their last nine matches, France maintains impressive squad depth. Key players from "PSG" including Ousmane Dembele, Lucas Hernandez, and Warren Zaire-Emery present both options and challenges for Deschamps' lineup selection.
Up front, Kylian Mbappe remains the team's primary attacking threat. The superstar striker needs just two more goals to reach the impressive milestone of 50 international goals for France. Can he achieve this landmark against Spain?
Interestingly, Michael Olise could again play a significant role in France's attacking setup after scoring in the quarter-final. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Mike Maignan – the hero of the penalty shootout against Croatia – will be a crucial figure between the posts in Stuttgart.
According to Statbet analysis, France's recent form shows mixed results but their knockout stage resilience makes them dangerous opponents despite being slight underdogs in this matchup.
Bookmakers currently favor Spain with odds of 2.41 for victory, while France stands at 3.03, and a draw comes in at 3.33. With such closely matched odds, we're likely in for a tightly contested battle between two football powerhouses.
