Reigning UEFA Nations League champions Spain lock horns with France in the semi-finals of the 2024-25 tournament at MHPArena in Stuttgart on Thursday night.

The victors of this one-off semi-final showdown - a repeat of the 2021-22 final - will face either Germany or Portugal in the showpiece event on June 8, while the losers will take part in the third-placed playoff on the same day.

Match preview

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After accumulating 16 points from a possible 18 available across six League A Group 4 fixtures (W5 D1), Spain came out on top in an enthralling, action-packed quarter-final clash over two legs with Netherlands in March.

Both legs ended as 2-2 draws after 90 minutes, before Xavi Simons cancelled out a strike from Lamine Yamal in extra time to level the scores up at 3-3 and take the contest to penalties. It was the Euro 2024 winners who ultimately kept their nerve, though, and prevailed 5-4 in the shootout.

Ranked second in the world by FIFA, only behind Argentina, Spain have put together an impressive 20-game unbeaten run across all competitions (W15 D5) since losing 2-0 to Scotland in Euros qualifying in March 2023.

La Roja have scored two or more goals on 16 of those occasions in 90 minutes, but Luis de la Fuente's side are without a clean sheet across their last four Nations League matches, conceding at least twice in each of their last three - not since 1980-81 (a run of six) have they conceded 2+ goals in more than three successive games.

Spain are bidding to become the first nation to retain the Nations League since the competition was formed in 2018. They beat Italy 2-1 in their last UNL semi-final two years ago and also won by the same scoreline in their last encounter with France in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 last July.

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France failed to progress from their group in the previous Nations League campaign, finishing third with only five points from six games, but they managed to better their efforts from 2023 by picking up 13 points this time around to finish top of League A Group 2, albeit on goal difference ahead of Italy.

Les Bleus then overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Croatia to progress from the quarter-finals. Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele were both on target to restore parity in Paris and send the tie into a penalty shootout, where Mike Maignan saved a decisive spot kick before Dayot Upamecano sealed a 5-4 victory.

Ranked third in the world by FIFA, France have fallen agonisingly short in recent major tournaments, losing in the 2022 World Cup final before bowing out in the Euro 2024 semi-finals, are they are now vying to win their first piece of silverware since lifting the 2021 Nations League at the expense of Spain.

Didier Deschamps has been in charge of France for almost 13 years, winning 106 of his 167 games (63.47%) at the helm, and the 56-year-old is keen to end his successful reign on a high before he steps down from his post after the 2026 World Cup.

Coming out on top against Spain on Thursday is not a given, though, as France have alternated between victory and defeat in their last five meetings with La Roja (W3 L2) and four of those games have been settled by a one-goal margin, including a 2-1 win in the aforementioned 2021 UNL showpiece.

Team News

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Spain are still having to cope without Ballon d'Or winner Rodri as he continues to build up his fitness at Manchester City ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, while Barcelona's Ferran Torres is also absent after undergoing surgery for appendicitis towards the end of last month.

In-form Real Betis playmaker Isco is in contention to make his first international appearance since 2019, while Gavi is back in the senior squad for the first time since 2023 when he suffered a cruciate ligament injury, and the Barcelona prodigy will battle with club teammate Pedri, Martin Zubimendi and PSG's Champions League winner Fabian Ruiz for a start in midfield.

Pau Cubarsi has also returned to the squad after missing the previous international break through injury and the 18-year-old centre-back will be pushing for a recall at the expense of Real Madrid's new signing Dean Huijsen, while Yamal, Dani Olmo and Nico Williams could all support Mikel Oyarzabal in attack.

As for France, as many as seven players were involved in the Champions League final, including Man of the Match Desire Doue and Ballon d'Or contender Dembele, and it remains to be seen how that could influence the way that Deschamps selects his starting lineup.

In the absence of injured trio Upamecano, William Saliba and Jules Kounde, Benjamin Pavard and Malo Gusto will compete for a start at right-back, while Deschamps will weigh up whether to select Lucas Hernandez, Clement Lenglet or uncapped Loic Bade as a left-sided centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate.

Kylian Mbappe, who is just two goals away from his 50th at international level, is expected to start as captain in the final third, while Man City-linked attacker Rayan Cherki who is hoping to earn his first senior cap after enjoying a superb 2024-25 campaign with Lyon.

Spain possible starting lineup:
Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Le Normand, Cucurella; Zubimendi, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, N. Williams; Oyarzabal

France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Pavard, Konate, L. Hernandez, Digne; Tchouameni, Kone, Rabiot; Olise, Kolo Muani, Mbappe

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We say: Spain 2-1 France (after extra time)

Both nations are blessed with an embarrassment of riches in attack, but how Deschamps navigates the reintroduction of some French stars who were involved in the Champions League final could potentially have an impact on the outcome of Thursday's intriguing contest.

It would be nonsensical to dismiss the chances of either European heavyweight prevailing in this one-off tie that could go beyond the 90 minutes. Spain will be regarded as slight favourites, though, and they may just do enough to edge themselves into the final.

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Written by
Oliver Thomas

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