France boss plays down favourites tag ahead of Spain semi-final
France's head coach, Didier Deschamps, has labelled Spain as the favourites heading into their World Cup semi-final on Tuesday night. His comments come despite France currently being the top-ranked team and having a flawless record in the tournament so far.
France enters this semi-final as the demonstrably stronger team on paper, boasting a perfect record. However, Spain's opening draw suggests they can be stifled, and their tournament form is less convincing, making France the likely victors.
Didier Deschamps, the manager of the French national football team, has acknowledged that Spain will enter their upcoming World Cup semi-final as the favoured side. The match is scheduled to take place in Dallas on Tuesday evening.
This assertion from Deschamps is notable given France's current standing. They lead the world rankings and have navigated their path to the final four without dropping a single point. In contrast, Spain's tournament began with a disappointing goalless draw against Cape Verde.
Deschamps' 'underdog' rhetoric is a classic psychological ploy, aiming to relieve pressure on his world number one side and perhaps lull Spain into a false sense of security.

