Kounde Says Yamal Did Not Mean to Be Disrespectful in Insult to France

JAKARTA - Ahead of the 2026 World Cup semifinal match between France vs Spain, the atmosphere was heated. Lamine Yamal said last weekend after the victory over Belgium in the quarterfinal that Les Bleus were afraid of La Roja.

The statement made the Barcelona player disrespect France. However, it was immediately denied by Les Bleus defender Jules Konde, who is Yamal's teammate at Blaugrana.

Jules Kounde said Yamal's comments ahead of the 2026 World Cup semi-final were not a sign of disrespect.

"No, at all we don't feel less respected. I know Lamine very well. For me, this shows his confidence."

"I saw it at Barcelona. They were confident in their attitude. I saw it as an extra motivation for him and nothing more," said Kounde.

Yamal was actually asked again about the controversial statement and he did not retract his words.

"I'm not surprised, I know you. They asked if I was afraid of France and I said no. We are European champions. It's football, as Kounde said. It's football, that's all," said Yamal.

The match between the first-ranked FIFA team, France, and the third-ranked team, Spain, is a rematch of the 2024 Euro semi-final.

Two years ago, Luis de la Fuente's team won 2-1 on their way to lifting the trophy.

Yamal scored a brilliant goal in that match and will be the main focus of France as they try to advance to the World Cup final for the third time in a row.

However, France midfielder Adrien Rabiot said that defending against Spain is not just about stopping Yamal.

"We don't have any special plans for Yamal. We focus on the whole Spanish team, not on one player. We know they are dangerous everywhere."

"Their front line, their ball possession, the way they play in tight spaces near the penalty area, their passing game. I think we need to focus on all of that, not on one individual," said Rabiot.

France's attack was devastating at the 2026 World Cup - scoring 16 goals in six games, eight of which came from star striker Kylian Mbappe - but Kounde said he knew Spain presented a different challenge than the teams they had faced so far.

"Yes, we are two teams that attack a lot. Both like to have the ball. Spain always likes to have the ball and can harm you in transition."

"We are too. We are a team comfortable with the ball and we can defend in and explode in transition. We have to remember that tomorrow we will have the ball because against Spain you can't let the ball for 90 minutes. It can't be like that," said Kounde.

Kounde added that Les Bleus will have mixed feelings playing on July 14, 2026 local time, which is Bastille Day in France, but also the date of the 2016 terrorist attack in Nice that killed 86 people.

"Of course. It's July 14. Our national day. Although over the past few years, today has become a day of grief because of the terrorist attack in Nice."

"We will remember the families of the victims. However, this is a national day. We really want to make the French people proud. This has been happening since the beginning of this journey," said Kounde.

The winner of the semi-final between France vs Spain will play against England or Argentina in the final on Sunday, July 19, 2026, local time, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.