Yamal or Mbappe: Stage set for a cracker of a contest in Spain vs France Nations League semi-finals

With Portugal booking their rightful place in the final, the other semi-final between Spain and France in the Uefa Nations League in Stuttgart on Thursday has all the right ingredients of being an absolute cracker.

 There are so many narratives set already. Is it going to be a 17-year-old Lamine Yamal vs 20-year-old Desire Doue battle or a Ballon d'Or matchup between Lamine and Ousmane Dembele? Is it going to be Olise day? Or will Mbappe show who the real boss is? Mbappe's on 48 international goals and will be eyeing to reach 50 tonight.

He had a great debut season in Madrid individually, winning Pichichi and European Golden Boot, but not winning a major trophy will be hurting him. His former club PSG winning the Uefa Champions League the same season he left them, must have hurt him even more. Can he be the difference tonight? We'll wait and see.

Either way, it's going to be an enthralling semi-final to watch. Lamine in his pre-match press conference said he believes the Ballon d'Or should be awarded based on performance throughout the year, not just one game.

Luis de la Fuente's Spanish side are a very well-balanced unit, and they are the reigning European and Nations League champions, having won the 2024 Euros. In the semi-final of the Euros, they defeated Deschamps's France and they'll be looking to repeat the same here. They overcame the Netherlands in the two-legged quarter-finals.

Spain are trying to be the first team to retain the Nations League since the competition's inception in 2018. Spain might give a start to Dean Huijsen in defence, but they haven't kept any clean sheet in the last five Nations League games. Also, Isco is back on the national scene for the first time since 2013. Can he get involved after having a stellar season for Betis? However, I'm eager to watch Pedri in midfield.

France didn't have a good campaign last time around as they exited at the group stage itself. However, this time they've reached the semis. They had a huge task on their hands against Croatia over the two legs in the quarter-finals, but managed to overturn the two-goal deficit from the first leg to progress.

They're not a fluid unit under Deschamps. Also, they aren't the defensively solid unit they used to be. They have injury issues in defence. Reliance on individual brilliance to win games is still there. With Champions League final participants' involvement in doubt, it will be difficult to predict the lineup.

Spain are more like a team. If Digne plays as the left-back, Lamine will torment him. Nico Williams on the other side will give full-back Gusto a run for the money, in the absence of injured Kounde. However, the key battle will be in the midfield. If Pedri gets control, it's over. Spain might have a little too much for France as a team, but France's individual brilliance can change the result on their own.