France boss Didier Deschamps is predicting a "spectacular" semi-final when his exciting side take on Spain in a heavyweight World Cup showdown in Dallas.

Didier Deschamps' France (2) and Luis de la Fuente's Spain (1) have won the World Cup three times between them France boss Didier Deschamps is predicting a "spectacular" semi-final when his exciting side take on Spain in a heavyweight World Cup showdown in Dallas on Tuesday. Spain beat France in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 on their way to being crowned European champions before defeating Les Bleus in a nine-goal last-four thriller in the Nations League last year. "The past is in the past," said Deschamps, who is stepping down at the end of the tournament after 14 years in charge. Two-time world champions France will become only the third country to reach three straight World Cup finals if they win in Texas (kick-off 20:00 BST). West Germany in 1982, 1986 and 1990, and Brazil in 1994, 1998 and 2002 are the only countries to manage the feat so far. Deschamps, who captained France to the world title in 1998, managed them to World Cup glory in 2018 before they were beaten on penalties by Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar. "We know this could be a most spectacular game. [Spain boss] Luis [de la Fuente] and myself we know how to defend and with the quality of two teams offensively, we can think it's going to be a spectacular game."