In what is being billed as the clash of the titans of European football, two-time champions France face 2010 champions Spain today in the first semi-final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.France, the 1998 and 2018 champions, overcame Morocco in the quarter-finals, while Spain secured their semi-final berth by defeating Belgium.Among the fans watching from afar with hopes that Les Bleus will go all the way and get that third star is Pol (surname withheld), who has been living and working in Jamaica for more than seven years.He is well aware of the head-to-head tally, which shows Spain with the edge with 18 wins to France’s 13.“It’s a semi-final. Anybody can beat anybody in such a match. Also, in the history and recent history of this [championship], Spain recorded more victories than France, so full pressure on, but I am still confident we’ll make it – well, about 70 per cent,” Pol told The Gleaner. “The team has more experience and the attack is stronger than in 2022 with several new, extremely talented youths,” he added.Young footballer Luc Johnson Mondon, whose father is Jamaican and his mother French, has been living in Jamaica since he was a baby.The 10-year-old is spending the summer school break in France, from where he will be watching today’s game.“I will be watching it with my family that lives in France, on the side of my mother – my uncles, my aunts, and my grandparents. I really want France to win. I don’t want Spain to win. I know Spain is going to be pretty hard on them, but I know that they can still win,” he told The Gleaner.Spanish nationals Guillermo Suárez and Rodrigo Miguez will join compatriots at the Sports Bar at Riu Negril.“The atmosphere during Spain’s last game was incredible, with football fans from many different countries all watching together. Matches like a World Cup semi-final don’t come around very often, so nobody wants to miss them. I’ll also be watching alongside my Spanish colleagues, so I’m expecting a fantastic atmosphere with plenty of excitement and nerves,” said Suárez.“There’s always a fantastic atmosphere in places like this, especially since they’re designed for major sporting events. On top of that, the hotel is full of guests from many different nationalities, which adds a special excitement to the way we experience the game together,” said Miquez.Luc, who plays right wing at Kingston Football Academy, is expecting France’s lethal strike force to take the fight to Spain’s defence.“So, I think the attacking line, with all the good players, need to focus and show what they have in their body – [Kylian] Mbappé, Michael Olise, [Ousmane] Dembélé and [William] Saliba. The Spanish defence has [Marc] Cucurella and Pau Cubarsí. Both of them our attackers can beat them easily. They just need to know that they can beat them, or else it’s not going to be possible,” Luc told The Gleaner.Although mindful of France’s lethal strike force, both Suárez and Miquez are backing their nation to break blue hearts.“France are probably Spain’s toughest test of the tournament. Spain will need to control possession, dictate the tempo, and stay patient, because France are a very different type of opponent. They don’t need long spells on the ball to hurt you. Sometimes two or three passes are enough for them to create and score a goal. Spain will have to stay fully concentrated for the entire match while being clinical when the chances come,” Suárez said.“I’m confident that Spain will continue to dominate possession. We have midfielders like Rodri and Dani Olmo, who are excellent at reading the game, finding spaces between the lines, and creating opportunities. As our coach (Luis de la Fuente) said, Lamine Yamal’s best performance is still yet to come. It will also be crucial to stay well organised defensively to avoid being exposed on the counterattack, as France has fast, skillful players who can create danger very quickly,” Miquez told The Gleaner.Like young Luc, Suárez and Miquez are certain which players will need to stamp their imprint on the game:“I’m really looking forward to watching Pedri in midfield because he’s been such an important player for Spain throughout the tournament. I’m also excited to see whoever is tasked with defending Kylian Mbappé. Keeping him quiet is one of the biggest challenges in world football, and that battle on Spain’s left side could have a huge influence on the result,” Suárez predicted.“France and Spain have always shared a great sporting rivalry. In this match, Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte will have the difficult task of stopping Kylian Mbappé. We’ll also get to see the rivalry between Adrien Rabiot and Lamine Yamal once again, as it’s worth remembering that in the last meeting (Euro 2024 semi-final) between these two national teams, Yamal silenced the Frenchman after his controversial comments,” said Miquez.Against the background of the huge rivalries involving the two European juggernauts and the players, all four fans expect a highly entertaining game at the Dallas Stadium in Arlinton, Texas.The game kicks off at 2 p.m. and will be carried live on TVJ with updates on The Gleaner’s website and social media pages.karen.madden@gleanerjm.com