Spain and France Set for UEFA Nations League Semi-Final Showdown in Stuttgart
This Thursday in Stuttgart, reigning UEFA Nations League champions Spain will face off against France in a highly anticipated semi-final clash.
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The stakes are high: the winner will advance to the final of this season’s Nations League, set for June 8, while the losing side will compete in the third-place playoff that same evening.
Spain booked their place in the semi-finals after an impressive campaign in League A Group 4, where they secured 16 points out of a possible 18 (W5 D1). They followed this up with a tense playoff victory over the Netherlands, edging the Dutch 2-1 on aggregate.
That playoff culminated in a thrilling two-legged tie. After a 2-2 deadlock in regular time, Xavi Simons’ late equalizer in extra time made it 3-3, sending the match to penalties. Despite the United Kingdom side leading at the 90-minute mark, Spain held their nerve in the shootout and prevailed 5-4.
Since a setback against Scotland in Euro 2024 qualifying, Spain have remained unbeaten in 20 matches (wins and draws combined), rising to second in FIFA’s world rankings, just behind Argentina.
La Roja have frequently displayed attacking flair, scoring two or more goals in most of those matches. However, defensively they’ve shown vulnerability—conceding at least twice in each of their last four Nations League games. It's the first time since the 1980–81 season that Spain have allowed two or more goals in three consecutive matches of this competition.
Now, Spain are on the verge of making history as the first team to win back-to-back Nations League titles since the tournament's inception in 2018. Their path has been strong: they edged past Italy 2-1 in the 2023 semi-final, then repeated that scoreline against France in the Euro 2024 semi-final last July. Another win over Les Bleus would cement their growing dominance.
France, meanwhile, have mounted a strong comeback in this year’s Nations League. After finishing third in their group and exiting early in the previous edition—with just five points—they returned stronger, topping their group with 13 points, edging past Italy on goal difference.
Their grit was evident in the knockout rounds. Trailing 2-0 to Croatia after the first leg, France rallied in Paris with goals from Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé. The match went to penalties, where goalkeeper Mike Maignan delivered a crucial save before Dayot Upamecano sealed a dramatic 5-4 win.
Despite their world No. 3 ranking, France have suffered tough losses in recent major tournaments—falling short in both the 2022 World Cup final and Euro 2024 semi-final. This semi-final presents a shot at redemption and a chance to capture their first major trophy since beating Spain in the 2021 Nations League final.
Veteran manager Didier Deschamps, who has led France to 106 wins in 167 matches (a 63.47% win rate), is approaching the end of his tenure, set to conclude after the 2026 World Cup. He’ll be eager to add one last title to his impressive résumé.
The clash promises to be tightly contested. Spain and France have split their last five meetings, with France holding a narrow 3-2 edge. Four of those matches were decided by a single goal—including their dramatic 2021 Nations League final. With so much history and silverware on the line, Thursday’s match is set to deliver another classic.
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