Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal insisted he feels no fear ahead of Spain's World Cup semifinal against France, as the 19-year-old celebrated his birthday and addressed the media with confidence. Asked about his earlier comment that France should be afraid, Yamal clarified: "I was asked if I was afraid of France, and I said no. We are European champions. It's simply football."

Yamal revealed he marked his 19th birthday by buying a jewel-encrusted necklace, but the real gift would be a place in Sunday's final. Despite scoring only once in the tournament, he is ready to contribute: "I don't focus on goals, but it's always special to score in a match like this. I accept the challenge. It will be a beautiful match for the spectators."

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente plans to take the game to tournament favorites France, emphasizing possession and attacking football. "We've analyzed France in great detail. They have great players, but so do we. We need to put all our virtues on the table and try to counteract their strengths," he said.

De la Fuente acknowledged France's improvement since their last meeting, a 5-4 Spain win in the Nations League. "They are a far better team now, because those players have grown. But we will try to impose our style and take the initiative," he added. His final message to the team: "Let's get out there and enjoy it."

Source: www.aljazeera.com