"Don't expect anything from me": Yamal has one goal at this World Cup, and three against France

The 19-year-old answered back

At the pre-match press conference in Arlington, Lamine Yamal was asked, again, whether he is playing anywhere near his best. "You say I'm not at my best level, so you shouldn't expect anything from me," he replied. "But I hope tomorrow is a big day." He had turned 19 the day before. The semi-final falls the day after his birthday.

The criticism has numbers behind it. This is his first World Cup, and in six matches he has scored once. Spanish reporting traces it to the hamstring injury he picked up in the spring; he has not looked like the player who broke open Euro 2024. Speaking to DAZN, Yamal accepted he is not yet back to his best after the injury, then added: "There's every chance my big match is tomorrow."

On the missing goals: "Goals don't worry me, but scoring in matches like this is always special, and I accept the challenge." On pressure: "There is no pressure. I play how I know how to play. There are situations far harder than a football match." On winning it: "Obviously we see ourselves as champions. It's difficult, but we all see ourselves as champions, just like in 2010. Why not?" And on the match itself: "It's the most important game I will play. It's a top-one for me."

France have been hit three times already

The inconvenient part, for France, is that the forward who has scored once in a month turns into someone else when they are the opponent.

In the last two meetings Spain won both, and Yamal scored three times. In the Euro 2024 semi-final, moments after Randal Kolo Muani had put France ahead, he curled one in from outside the box to level; Dani Olmo scored the winner soon after and Spain went through 2-1. In the 2025 Nations League semi-final in Stuttgart, he scored twice in a 5-4 win — a game Spain led 5-1 before it tightened, something Luis de la Fuente has said his staff want to avoid repeating. Infobae's Spanish edition put the two matches side by side this week and called Yamal "France's worst nightmare".

France's two centre-backs were asked about him repeatedly at their own press conference. "Honestly, we don't think specifically about that," said Ibrahima Konate. "Spain are an exceptional side with a lot of individuals at an enormous level. It isn't only Lamine, it's the whole of Spain." Elsewhere he added that Yamal "can say what he wants". Maxence Lacroix: "I wouldn't talk about fear. We know our qualities." France midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery called Yamal "extraordinary".

Spain, meanwhile, have not confirmed that Yamal will start.

Eight goals against one goal conceded

The first semi-final kicks off at 4 a.m. JST on 15 July at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. It is played under a roof, unlike most of the knockout games so far.

France carry the tournament's most productive attack. Kylian Mbappe leads all scorers with eight goals, Ousmane Dembele has five, and Michael Olise leads every player at the World Cup with five assists. Mbappe hurt his right ankle against Morocco and came off; Deschamps said on Monday he would be "100 percent".

Spain have conceded one goal in six matches — Charles De Ketelaere's header for Belgium in the quarter-final. If they win the tournament without conceding again, they will set a new record for the fewest goals conceded by a World Cup winner; the current mark is two. Asked whether he would pick Pedri or Fabian Ruiz in midfield, de la Fuente said: "If I'm in doubt between Pedri and Fabian, we play both and the problem is over." Nico Williams is not fully fit.

Yamal also said he hopes to face Lionel Messi in the final. Before kickoff, he plans to get his hair cut by his brother, and to take his usual nap.