Spain coach De la Fuentes invokes Caesar’s wisdom ahead of final before final clash with France

On the eve of Spain’s World Cup semifinal showdown with France, Luis de la Fuente channeled the spirit of Julius Caesar to steel his squad for what he called a “final before the final”.

“Julius Caesar always said that you can’t win without suffering. I always repeat that phrase to my players,” De la Fuente told reporters on Monday. “We’re ready to go to war tomorrow. If you want to win something important, you need to sacrifice something along the way.”

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A Rivalry Defined by Recent History

Spain and France meet in the World Cup semifinals for just the second time, with the only previous meeting coming in the 2006 round of 16 — a 3-1 French victory. But under De la Fuente, La Roja have enjoyed the upper hand. Spain defeated France 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semifinals and again in a 5-4 Nations League thriller last year. “We’re the only team that has beaten them twice in a row,” De la Fuente reminded.

“This will be a super match, an early final,” he said. “We have enormous respect for France, but we feel capable of beating anyone.”

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Spain’s Unbeaten Run Meets France’s Firepower

Spain enter on a historic 36-match unbeaten streak, their longest ever — 27 wins and nine draws since a March 2024 loss to Colombia. France, meanwhile, are playing in their eighth World Cup semifinal, equaling Brazil’s record. They have scored 16 goals, led by Kylian Mbappé’s eight, while Michael Olise tops all players with five assists.

De la Fuente acknowledged the French threat but expressed confidence in his team’s evolution. “We haven’t changed — we’re the same team, following the same process we planned,” he said. He also backed Lamine Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, to deliver his “best match in this World Cup”.

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From Slow Start to Semifinal Glory

Spain’s campaign began with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Cabo Verde. That now “feels like it belongs to another World Cup, another year, and another century,” De la Fuente said. Since then, five consecutive wins have put La Roja on the verge of their second World Cup final — and a chance to repeat their 2010 triumph.