France and Spain are set to collide in Dallas on Tuesday in one of the most eagerly anticipated World Cup semi-finals in recent memory, with a place in the final on the line. For all the collective talent on display, the duel between Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal will command the most attention.
Mbappe: the force of nature
Mbappe arrives at this semi-final in the form of his life. The 27-year-old captain scored 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid last season — finishing as the top scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League — and has carried that momentum deep into this tournament.
He leads the Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi, having scored eight goals in six games and registered 11 goal contributions in total — more than any other player at this World Cup. His 19 goals across World Cup history would already make him the outright all-time leading scorer, were it not for Messi's 20.
This summer he surpassed Olivier Giroud to become France's all-time leading scorer, now standing at 64 goals in 104 appearances. Former international Giroud spoke warmly of Mbappe's rise when he appeared on BBC Match of the Day:
