Spain winger Lamine Yamal has sent a strong message to France and the rest of the teams remaining in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that no nation can be considered superior to Spain.
The 18-year-old Barcelona star made the comments during an interview with Spanish media El Larguero, where he dismissed suggestions that France should be regarded as favourites ahead of the knockout stages of the tournament.
According to Yamal, recent results between the two European giants show that France cannot be considered a better team than Spain. He pointed out that France have failed to defeat Spain in their recent meetings, including Spain’s victory over Les Bleus in the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2024.
“France have not beaten us in two years and so they can’t be considered better than us,” Yamal said.
While expressing confidence in Spain’s abilities, the teenage sensation was careful to acknowledge the quality within the French squad. He described France as a team packed with talented players and praised the level they have shown in recent competitions.
“France are at an excellent level and have wonderful players, but I don’t think they are above anyone,” he said. “For me, no one is above Spain.”
Yamal’s comments come as both Spain and France continue their quest for World Cup glory. France have impressed many observers with their performances, while Spain have also emerged as one of the strongest contenders for the title. France topped their group with three wins from three matches, while Spain advanced to the knockout rounds after another solid 3-0 win over Austria.
The young winger has been one of Spain’s standout performers in recent years and continues to break records despite his age. At the ongoing World Cup, he recently became the youngest European player to record 10 victories in major international tournaments, underlining his growing importance to the national team.
Although Spain and France are on the same side of the World Cup bracket and could potentially meet later in the tournament before the final, Yamal believes the knockout stage is too unpredictable for any team to be labelled favourites.
