FIFA WC 2026: Spain's Alex Baena eyes possession game to counter France in semifinal

Spain winger Alex Baena said his side will look to dominate possession and force France onto the back foot when the two teams meet in the FIFA World Cup semifinal on Tuesday (local time), according to Reuters.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the last-four clash, Baena acknowledged the threat posed by France's attacking quartet but insisted Spain's focus would be on imposing their own style of play.

"The four up front are having a great tournament, and we will have to keep an eye on them. But we will try to make them watch us more than we watch them," Baena said, as quoted by Reuters.

The winger said Spain's greatest strength lies in controlling the ball, which he believes is the team's best defensive weapon.

"Our strength is having the ball, having a lot of possession to attack and to make sure they attack us as little as possible. Hopefully, tomorrow it will be like that too," he added, as quoted by Reuters.

While Spain heads into the semifinal after winning their previous two meetings against France, Baena cautioned against reading too much into past results.

"It is true that we come from two matches in which we beat them, and that suited us, but every match is a world of its own," he said.

Praising the opposition, Baena added, "They are having a spectacular tournament."

France have enjoyed the most convincing and controlled knockout-stage campaign among the four remaining teams.

After finishing top of Group I, they opened the knockout rounds with a commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32.

They then edged past Paraguay 1-0 in a closely contested Round of 16 before producing another disciplined display to defeat Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals and secure their place in the last four.

France have scored six goals in the knockout stages without conceding a single one, underlining their defensive discipline and control under pressure.

Even in tightly contested encounters, their structure has remained solid, while France captain Kylian Mbappe has continued to provide the cutting edge in attack when it matters most.

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