Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final against Spain on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, France manager Didier Deschamps employed a surprise training routine to obscure his tactical plans. By rotating players during the session, Deschamps aimed to keep his opponents in the dark regarding his intended starting XI.
During the training, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue each took turns playing half a game on the left flank. Similarly, Aurelien Tchouameni and Manu Kone alternated roles in the center of the park. Reports indicated that these pre-match drills made it impossible to definitively identify the lineup France will field against La Roja, who reached their first World Cup semi-final in 16 years following a 2-1 win over Belgium.
In the previous quarter-final match, a 2-0 victory over Morocco, Deschamps had opted for Doue on the left and Kone in midfield, while Barcola entered as a late substitute and Tchouameni remained on the bench. Les Bleus secured that win with second-half goals from captain Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
Kylian Mbappe continues to lead the Golden Boot race with eight goals and three assists, matching his total from the Qatar 2022 tournament. The Real Madrid forward holds a slight lead over Argentina's Lionel Messi, who has eight goals and two assists. Mbappe’s campaign has included two goals against Sweden in the Round of 32 and a penalty winner against Paraguay. Although he missed a first-half penalty against Morocco, he successfully scored in the second half to maintain his position at the top of the scoring standings.
