The quarter-finals have delivered a semi-final lineup that mirrors the top of the FIFA rankings and reunites four former world champions for the first time in 36 years. France, Spain, Argentina and England all progressed through tense knockout ties to set up a Tuesday meeting between the European neighbours in Arlington, Texas, and a Wednesday renewal of one of the sport’s most storied rivalries in Atlanta. The last time the semi-finals featured four nations with stars on their shirts was Italy 1990, a symmetry noted across European and Latin American media as a marker of the tournament’s concentration of elite talent.

France reinforced their status as the competition’s most complete side by defeating Morocco 2-0, with Kylian Mbappé taking his tally to eight goals and Ousmane Dembélé adding a fifth. Spain, meanwhile, required another late intervention from substitute Mikel Merino to edge Belgium 2-1, the midfielder having also scored the winner against Portugal in the previous round. Argentina were taken to extra time by a ten-man Switzerland before Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez secured a 3-1 victory, while England relied on a Jude Bellingham brace to overcome Norway 2-1. Across the four matches, the winning sides displayed a mix of attacking incision and defensive resilience that has characterised the knockout phase.

The France-Spain semi-final pits the tournament’s most potent attack against its meanest defence. Didier Deschamps’ side have scored 16 goals, with Michael Olise contributing a competition-leading five assists alongside the Mbappé-Dembélé partnership. Spain, by contrast, conceded for the first time in the tournament when Charles De Ketelaere struck for Belgium, ending Unai Simón’s clean-sheet run at 650 minutes. European analysts frame the contest as a clash of systems, while also noting the personal duel between Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, who turns 19 on the eve of the match. Yamal has scored once so far, a quiet return by his standards, but Spanish and international outlets recall his decisive goal in the Euro 2024 semi-final against the same opponent and his two-goal performance in a Nations League meeting last year.

The Argentina-England encounter carries a weight of history that extends beyond the pitch, though both camps have moved to contain the narrative. Lionel Scaloni, the Argentina coach, dismissed questions about the Falklands context, insisting “it’s a football match, nothing more.” The fixture will be Lionel Messi’s first against England at a World Cup, and South American coverage emphasises his pursuit of a second consecutive title, which would make Argentina the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962. English perspectives focus on the opportunity to reach a first final since 1966, with Bellingham and Harry Kane each on six goals and within reach of the Golden Boot race led by Messi and Mbappé on eight.

The winners will advance to the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 20 July, while the defeated sides meet in the third-place match in Miami a day earlier. Beyond the team prize, the semi-finals will also shape the race to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer: Messi sits on 21 goals, Mbappé on 20, and both have the stage to add to their legacies.