2026 World Cup / France - Spain: Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé’s nemesis!

14.07.26 FT World Cup

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Ahead of the 2026 World Cup semi-final between France and Spain, a striking statistic surrounds the renewed clash between Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, who has truly become the French captain’s nemesis.

As this much-anticipated semi-final in Dallas approaches, one figure is catching everyone’s attention in the duel between these two stars. In fact, over their last five knockout encounters—whether for club or country—Kylian Mbappé has never managed to get the better of Lamine Yamal.

See also: Mannschaft: Tensions rise between Germany and Jürgen Klopp

The record is clear-cut at international level, with the Frenchman losing twice to the Spaniard—first at Euro 2024, then in the 2025 Nations League. A similar story has unfolded at club level, with Real Madrid falling three times to Yamal’s Barça: once in the Copa del Rey and twice in the last two Spanish Super Cups.

However, there is one exception: the 2023-2024 Champions League quarter-finals, when Mbappé, then at PSG, turned the tables on Barça. That’s the reference point the French captain will have to cling to.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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