Messi vs Kane - Mbappé vs Yamal... World Cup's "Historic Semi-Final Matchups" Confirmed

*This content was translated by AI.

Just two wins remain to reach the world's highest honor. The 2026 FIFA North America World Cup semi-final matchups have finally been finalized.

The four teams remaining to compete for the North America World Cup trophy are France, Spain, England, and Argentina.

The first semi-final match, which will be played first, is a showdown between France and Spain. The two teams will clash head-on on the path to the final at 4 a.m. (Korean time) on the 15th.

France boasts formidable strength from front to back, including Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, who is aiming for the top scorer title. After defeating Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0, and Norway 4-1 in the group stage, France completely overwhelmed Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32. They then defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 and secured a solid 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarterfinals, riding a smooth path forward.

Especially, their super-luxury attack line is at a historic high level. With Mbappé leading the scoring chart with eight goals and three assists in this tournament, the firepower of Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), who has provided five assists, and Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), who has recorded five goals and two assists, is fierce. In addition, substitute attackers Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue (both Paris Saint-Germain), and Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan) are all big-league players.

In response, Spain's strength lies in its formidable midfield anchored by Rodri (Manchester City) and Pedri (Barcelona). Spain finished all three group stage matches scoreless, defeated Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32, and subdued Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16. Their only goal conceded in this tournament came in the quarterfinal against Belgium (a 2-1 victory), showcasing their stingy defense. In attack, Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) with four goals and one assist, and football prodigy Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), are holding strong.

On the other side of the bracket, Argentina led by Messi will clash with England, featuring Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid). Their semi-final showdown will take place at 4 a.m. on the 16th.

Argentina, which has secured the final semi-final ticket, is displaying formidable attacking power. After defeating Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0, and Jordan 3-1 in the group stage, Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time in the Round of 32 and defeated Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16, unleashing firepower in every match. Messi, who is a strong contender for the final dance, has recorded eight goals and two assists, engaging in a fierce battle for the top scorer title with Mbappé.

In response, England's momentum is soaring thanks to Bellingham (six goals, one assist), who performed brilliantly in the previous match, and Harry Kane (Bayern Munich·six goals, one assist) at the front line. Sharp wings from Bukayo Saka (Arsenal·three assists) and Anthony Gordon (Newcastle·three assists) are also powerful weapons for England.

Meanwhile, the third-place playoff between the teams that lose in the semi-finals will be held at 6 a.m. on the 19th. The glorious final match to conclude the tournament will kick off at 4 a.m. on the 20th.

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*This content was translated by AI.