World Cup Semifinals Rank Messi No. 1 Among 10 Best Remaining Players

Q: France's unstoppable attack meets Spain's unbreakable defense. Which historic streak will be the first to break in the semifinal?

Spain’s defensive streak is the likelier one to give way — and, strictly speaking, it already has. The premise of an “unbreakable” Spain defense is outdated. Spain had been perfect defensively early in the tournament, but that run ended in the quarterfinal when Belgium scored in a 2-1 Spanish win. So the clean-sheet streak has already been broken before the semifinal. What remains intact is Spain’s broader defensive dominance: only one goal conceded all tournament, the fewest expected goals against, and Unai Simón in Golden Glove form. France, by contrast, still arrive with the more relevant live streak. Didier Deschamps’ side has been the tournament’s most explosive attack, with a 16-2 goal differential and elite production from Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise. France have consistently found goals in the knockout rounds, and most expert projections expect them to score again against Spain. That makes the key question less about whether Spain’s clean-sheet run will end — it already did — and more about whether Spain can halt France’s scoring rhythm. If Spain shut France out, that would be the meaningful streak broken in the semifinal: France’s run as the tournament’s unstoppable attacking force. On form, though, the safer call is that France score at least once, meaning Spain’s aura of defensive invincibility takes the bigger hit, even if the literal clean-sheet streak is already gone.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 13

Lionel Messi tops a ranking of the 10 best players left in the World Cup semifinals after scoring eight goals in six matches and breaking the tournament's all-time scoring record.
Kylian Mbappe sits second with eight goals and three assists for a France side that has outscored opponents 16-2, while England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have six goals each.
Spain places three players on the list—Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal and goalkeeper Unai Simon—as Simon anchors a defense that has conceded just one goal all tournament.
The semifinals pit France against Spain on Tuesday in Arlington and England against defending champion Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta, with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium.

Sources

USA TODAY1d ago

World Cup Semifinals: Ranking the 10 Best Remaining Players

New Zealand Herald11h ago

Fifa World Cup 2026 semi-finals: Spain, France, Argentina, England ranked - NZ Herald

fox23.com22h ago

What teams are left in the World Cup? Here's who's in the semifinals

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France's unstoppable attack meets Spain's unbreakable defense. Which historic streak will be the first to break in the semifinal?

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Argentina vs England 2026: Messi’s Record-Breaking Run, VAR Debates, and the Semifinal Legacy Battle

Overview

Argentina's dramatic quarterfinal against Switzerland on July 12, 2026, was a tense battle that stayed goalless in regular time, despite chances created by Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Allister. The turning point came when Switzerland's Embolo received a controversial red card after a VAR intervention using FIFA's 'mistaken identity' protocol. With this numerical advantage, Argentina broke the deadlock in extra time, ultimately winning 3-1 and securing a place in the semifinals. This match highlighted Argentina's resilience and ability to capitalize on key moments, setting up a historic showdown with England.

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