French midfielder Adrien Rabiot has firmly dismissed suggestions that France will focus on neutralising Lamine Yamal in their World Cup semi-final clash against Spain. He recently addressed the lingering fallout from his previous criticism of the Barcelona prodigy, which famously backfired during their Euro 2024 encounter.
Stressing that France will not fall into the trap of obsessing over a single player, Rabiot emphasized that the Spanish team is filled with several dangerous players.
Adrien added that he is confident in Les Blues’ mental readiness to navigate a demanding route to the World Cup final.
His words, “There is no anti-Lamine Yamal plan. We are focusing on the Spanish national team, not just one player. We know they are dangerous across the board: him, the attacking players, their possession, their ability to find spaces near the box, and their combination play. We have to be alert to all of that. I don’t think we should focus solely on one individual.
Nothing guarantees that we are going to win. That will be decided out on the pitch. We are focused, we’re going to prepare for this match very well, and we trust the journey we’ve had so far. We have to believe in ourselves, but always with the humility that has defined us since the start of the tournament. I hope we reach the final, because that is our goal.”
On past feud with Yamal, “I don’t exactly remember those comments. But if I said them, it would be because that’s what I thought at the time.”
