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France (4-3-3): Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernández T; Kanté, Tchoumeni, Rabiot; Dembélé, Koli Muani, Mbappé. Subs: Samba, Areola, Pavard, Mendy, Camavinga, Griezmann, Giroud, Thuram, Zaïre-Emery, Fofana, Coman, Clauss, Konaté, Barcola.
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Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
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Style and substance are often presented as dichotomies, but in reality the relationship between them is far closer – so close that almost necessarily, each brings with it the other. So we might criticise Oscar Wilde, say, for bestowing upon us many more flourishes than messages … but equally we might realise that the flourishes are the messages, him advising us how to enjoy our lives. Similarly, we might complain that Jeffrey Archer, say, is not the greatest prose stylist of all time … or we might remind ourselves that sustaining an exciting story is a style all of its own.
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So to cast today’s little tussle as a battle of style versus substance does not do justice to what we’re about to see – and how ludicrous it feels to be writing words to set that up when the simple fact of it, Spain v France, European Championship semi-finals, says more than any smartarse writer ever could. But here we are, so here we are.
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So far, Spain have been the best side in this tournament – not much of an accolade, it’s true. And because they commit to a particular way of playing, they’re viewed as style merchants, but the reality is more nuanced. First of all they are – in the best possible way – cynical, snide and dirty. But more than that, the way they play is neither a service to football nor to us; rather it is, in their opinion and experience, the way they are most likely to succeed. Never in the history of the game has there been a method more difficult to beat than theirs, which is to say that even Álvaro Morata can’t dilute the substance oozing from their every pore.
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France, on the other hand, are – like England and like Portugal – unbearably frustrating to watch because with the players they have, they ought to be so much better than they are. But though they couldn’t be less fun, the entire approach is predicated on Kylian Mbappé, and surely we’re surely not about to accuse him – or William Saliba, or Jules Koundé for that matter – of lacking style.
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In other words, our teams are more similar than we might first think. Spain prioritise control, but no midfield containing Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni and N’Golo Kanté is going out to just let the other team have the ball, while France might plan to wait and counter, but no attack containing Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams will be shy about doing the exact same thing.
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All of which is great for us, because it means none of us has the slightest clue how this is going to go – not even @TactixSzn on Twitter. There’s a very strong chance the game doesn’t flow, but very little chance it isn’t tight, intense and epic, the most embarrassingly compelling event taking place on the planet this evening – and there’s nothing more stylish or substantial than that. Aquí vamos y c’est parti!
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Kick-off: 9pm local, 8pm BST
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Important Events
Two absolute hits To be fair.
It’s time for the national anthem!
And here comes our team!
“Thank you for using MBM, it allows me to use my football viewing allocation today to watch the Copa America semi-final,” says Colm Ó Liain. “Anyone who chose to sleep through France vs Portugal in the quarterfinals rather than tune in to the Canada vs Venezuela battle will understand the appeal of giant-killer Argentina taking on mighty Canada today.”
I actually watched the Canada vs France match just before the Euros and was impressed with the discipline, organisation and confidence of Jesse Marsch’s Canadian team. If they play, they will give Argentina a tough fight.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how the Spanish winger plays tonight. I absolutely I adore Lamine’s keen eye for a pass is almost cheating for a 16-year-old, while Williams’ tenacity, explosiveness and ability to attack in both directions are the perfect complement, and if they both perform well tonight, France will have big problems.
“Given the number of food-themed memes that were seen throughout the tournament, Joe Pearson wrote in an email: “It’s definitely paella vs cassoulet. I honestly hate saffron but I do love slow cooked soup with sausage so I have to say ‘France in favor’. Which is a shame as I’d love for Spain to go through.”
Would I dare confess to The Guardian readers that the food we immediately associate with these countries is bland?
“The Bureau of Legends is a great TV show.” “But in Spanish it’s definitely La Unidad,” Nicholas Lane speculates.
I haven’t seen it yet, so I’ll look into it. I loved Le Bureau, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie that moved me as much as Money Heist. I still can’t forget Moscow.
Speaking of style: There are several rig Tonight at the BBC studios, oh my goodness. Rio Ferdinand thinks it’s Yom Kippur!
“I have no problem with what Deschamps said,” Matt Bartz said. “The main aim of any sporting competition is to win, especially in a tournament. I would rather have a team succeed with a 1-0 win than lose 4-3 and feel the excitement of pulling your hair out. (This is the opinion of an Everton fan who has watched the confrontation between Roberto Martinez and Sean Dyche.) But that’s just my opinion.”
That’s true, but it’s also natural to think that France would win more if they played more entertainingly. It’s hard to imagine this group of players playing worse.
I said earlier that Jules Koundé has style. Exhibit A:
🏰🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/AnTLZfSE9x
— Jules Koundé (@jkeey4) May 29, 2024
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“It’s a shame that Robin Le Normand won’t be there,” said Charles Antaki. “It’s always fun when the director gives him a close-up, usually when he’s done something silly. He lives up to his name and has a malnourished medieval look, like a hapless hero of an adventure, perhaps, or a low-ranking knight who didn’t survive the first skirmish with the Saracens. Nacho, of course, also looks quite medieval, but not in the same style.”
I always read his name as if he were a robber. Old Bournemouth Hotel.
Meanwhile in France, Spain will want to rely on him in midfield – easier said than done, because where before they had little guys who you couldn’t find, now they have big guys who will – or they’ll play Kolo Muani, keeping the wingers in behind when they have the ball and trying to counter when they don’t.
So where is the game? Spain will look to open holes in France’s back four and feed the ball to Olmo, Morata and the wingers, but they will also look to move quickly left or right to create one-on-one situations between the wingers and the full-backs, and from there they will either feed the ball to Morata across the box or try to score themselves.
“Dinner’s over, coffee’s in hand, the TV’s on, and it’s time to get started…” says Krishnamoorthy V. “I’m rooting for Spain today as I did in 2010 because Didier insulted fans all over the world with his comment: ‘If you’re bored, watch another game’. Arrogance comes before a fall. Tonight we’re going to celebrate a fall.”
I don’t mind him saying that. He can run his team how he wants and is accountable to nobody except the French people. But where he and I disagree is on the merits of his way of doing things. I don’t want France to play differently to entertain me, I just think they would be a better team if they played differently.
But the real battle is this: Casa de Papel v. Le Bureau.
I think Didier Deschamps has changed his style a bit. Against Portugal, France deployed a No.10 behind their two strikers but tonight they will be looking to play with a front three. France will want to stall Spain in midfield and stretch the pitch on the counter, but don’t be surprised to see Rabiot and Kante storming through the middle.
Spain has a bit of a problem. Jesus Navas was a good winger at times in his prime, but now in his old age he is the right-back expected to hold off Mbappé in the tournament semi-finals. Good luck, old friend.
On the other hand, we have seen Nacho come into the team and defend like Baresi, he played well in the second leg of the Champions League for Real Madrid, so I am not worried about Spain in that respect, but without Pedri every team in the world is weaker.
As for France, Adrien Rabiot returned from suspension to replace Camavinga, while Antoine Griezmann made way for Ousmane Dembele.
Spain is without Pedri They were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Toni “Bites Ya Legs” Kroos, the suspended Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand. Dani Olmo, who scored against Germany, will keep his place in midfield, with Jesús Navas and Nacho at right-back and centre-back respectively.
I’ll write that down Then think about what they mean.
Our Team
Spain (4-2-3-1): Unai Simon Jesus Navas, Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Ramin Yamal, Olmo, Williams; Morata. subtitles: Raya, Remiro, Vivian, Merino, Joselu, Ferran Torres, Grimaldo, Alex Baena, Zubimendi, Oyarzabal, Fermin Lopez and Pérez.
France (4-3-3): Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez T; Kante, Tyumen, Rabiot; Dembele, Coli Mouani, Mbappe. subtitles: Samba, Areola, Pavard, Mendy, Camavinga, Griezmann, Giroud, Thuram, Zaire-Emery, Fofana, Coman, Klaus, Konate, Barkola.
Judge: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
preamble
Style and content are often presented as a dichotomy, but in reality the relationship between them is much closer; so close that one inevitably entails the other. So, for example, we might criticize Oscar Wilde for giving us more decoration than message, but then realize that the decoration is the message, teaching us how to enjoy life. Similarly, we might complain that, say, Jeffrey Archer is not the greatest prose writer of all time, or we might remember that what keeps a story exciting is a style unto itself.
So to characterize today’s little spat as a battle of style versus substance doesn’t do justice to what we’re about to see. And it feels silly to write in preparation for it, when the simple fact that it’s Spain vs. France, a European Championship semi-final, says more than any cocky writer could. But here we are. So here we are.
For now, Spain are the best team in the tournament. It’s certainly not worth much praise. They are seen as style merchants because they insist on a certain style of play, but the reality is more nuanced. First of all, they are cynical (in the best sense of the word), sly and vulgar. But more than that, their style of play does neither serve football nor us. Rather, in their opinion and experience, it is the way in which they are most likely to succeed. No way in the history of football has been harder to beat than their way, which means that not even Alvaro Morata can dilute the essence that oozes from their pores.
Meanwhile, France, like England and Portugal, are excruciatingly frustrating to watch because, based on their players, they should be so much better than they are, but while their play is uninteresting, their whole approach is predicated on Kylian Mbappé, and we would never accuse him, or William Saliba, or Jules Koundé, of lacking style.
In other words, our teams are more similar than we initially thought: Spain prioritise control, but their midfielders – Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Chouameni and N’Golo Kante – are unlikely to go out to force the opposition into possession, while France might wait and counter, but their attackers – Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams – will have no qualms about doing the exact same thing.
All of this is great for us, because none of us have any idea how this is going to go – not even @TactixSzn on Twitter. It’s very possible that the game won’t go smoothly, but it’s highly unlikely that it won’t be tense, tense, and epic. Tonight is the most embarrassingly glamorous event on the planet. And it doesn’t get any more stylish or fulfilling than that. Let’s party!
Kickoff: 9pm local time, 8pm BST
