World Cup semi-final: Koné benched as Deschamps recalls Tchouameni for France
Squad News·14 July 2026·3h ago

World Cup semi-final: Koné benched as Deschamps recalls Tchouameni for France

Source: Forza Roma

France face Spain in the first World Cup semi-final this evening with kickoff at 21:00 CET at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Head coach Deschamps has opted to start Tchouameni in midfield instead of Roma's Manu Koné, who takes a place on the bench. The decision sees Tchouameni return to the starting eleven after Koné impressed widely following his full display in the quarter-final against Morocco.

Koné has been a key player for Roma this season and his omission marks a significant call by Deschamps ahead of the competition's later stages. The French manager's tactical choice reflects confidence in Tchouameni's ability to dictate play against Spain's midfield.

England and Argentina meet tomorrow in the second semi-final to determine France's opponent in the final on Sunday 19 July.

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Roma midfielder Manu Koné will start on the bench when France face Spain in the World Cup semi-final at Dallas Stadium this evening, with kickoff at 21:00 Italian time. Head coach Didier Deschamps has recalled Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni to partner Adrien Rabiot in midfield for the match against the reigning European champions. Koné impressed during France's quarter-final victory over Morocco and has featured in four of France's six matches at the tournament, but loses his starting place to Tchouaméni's return from injury. According to Roma News, the omission does not reflect criticism of the 24-year-old's performances, and the midfielder remains a valuable option from the bench. His aggressive style and ball-carrying abilities could prove useful should France require greater midfield intensity as the match develops. The winner of tonight's semi-final will face either England or Argentina in the final on 19 July.

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Testo Originale / Source Text

Al via la fase finale del Mondiale americano. Questa sera Francia e Spagna si affrontano nella prima semifinale: fischio d'inizio alle 21 italiane al Dallas Stadium di Arlington, Texas. Nell'undici titolare scelto dal CT Deschamps non c'è Manu Kone, che si accomoda dunque in panchina. Il tecnico…

Read the full article in Italian at Forza Roma.

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