Final before the final

Didier Deschamps’ team has treated this tournament like a royal march, crushing every team that has stood in their path

For the first time in World Cup history, the four remaining teams are also the top four teams in FIFA's world rankings.

The tournament has been around since 1930, and even with an expanded 48-team field designed to create more unpredictability, the final four is as straightforward as it gets.

On Tuesday night, in the first semi-final, world number one France plays number three Spain at Dallas Stadium.

France comes to this stage looking like an unstoppable powerhouse.

Didier Deschamps’ team has treated this tournament like a royal march, crushing every team that has stood in their path.

They have played six matches so far and have not trailed for even a single second, showing massive tactical dominance over their opponents.

France wants to extend a scary winning streak, having won seven games in a row in all competitions and securing an amazing nine wins out of 10 games this calendar year.

The biggest weapon for this terrifying French team is a quick and fluid attacking line-up where the extreme speed of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele mixes perfectly with the creative skills of Michael Olise and Desire Doue.

This group of four attackers changes gears so fast that defenders cannot keep up with them, which was clearly visible when they defeated Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals with both Mbappe and Dembele finding the back of the net.

Mbappe is the absolute danger man of the entire tournament, scoring in a lethal 83% of his World Cup matches this season and leading the competition as the joint-top scorer with eight goals, five of which have been the crucial first goal of the match.

Spain however, is the only team in the world that has the perfect plan to slow down this explosive French attack.

The Spanish team does not have the raw physical power of France, but they use a style of football based on high possession and passing that can starve the French players of the ball.

Luis de la Fuente’s team has played wonderful football that reminds fans of their past European Championship victories while showing an exciting vision for the future, bringing a fantastic 16-match unbeaten streak into this giant game.

Spain’s journey through the knockout rounds has been full of pure fighting spirit and heart-stopping late drama.

They have made spectacular, last-minute comebacks in consecutive knockout rounds to eliminate both Portugal and Belgium.

The biggest hero of this late drama has been the amazing substitute midfielder Mikel Merino, who has scored crucial goals at the very end of matches.

Merino scored a dramatic, clutch winning goal to break Belgian hearts in a 2-1 quarter-final win after Fabian Ruiz had scored the first goal.

To stop the fast French counter-attacks, Spain will depend on the incredible control of Ruiz and Rodri in the center of the pitch.

This midfield pairing keeps the ball so well that they have limited opponents to just a single goal conceded in their last six matches.

This strong midfield lets Spain’s creative players create magic higher up the field.

The world will watch young wizard Lamine Yamal, along with Dani Olmo and Pedri, look to unlock the French defence, while the smart movement of striker Mikel Oyarzabal, who has four goals this season, provides the perfect target.

Since Spain already beat France 5-4 in a thrilling Nations League semi-final last June where Yamal scored two brilliant goals, they have no fear and fully believe their team harmony can stop France's star individuals.