Why is Manu Kone benched for France vs Spain FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal?

Manu Kone has played four games for France in this FIFA World Cup.

France are set to face Spain in the semifinal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Both sides have been named the favourites to win the tournament since the start of the tournament, and finally, they will lock horns against each other in a dream clash.

France have won all their matches in regular time, and La Roja have not let any game go into extra time, conceding only one goal throughout the campaign. However, Mikel Merino has been their messiah in the last two games, as he can score late goals off the bench.

La Roja are currently on a 36-match unbeaten run, the longest in their history, as they face two-time champions France in the semifinal. The clash is set to be thrilling, and both managers have fielded their strongest teams.

However, Manu Kone is not in the starting line-up, leaving a few fans wondering about the reason for the 25-year-old midfielder’s absence.

Also Read: France starting lineup vs Spain confirmed as Kylian Mbappe named for FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal

Why is Manu Kone not in the starting XI against Norway?

Manu Kone has been benched against Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal because Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has recovered from injury. Kone has played a crucial role for France as a holding midfielder; thus, he is expected to come on against the European champions as a second-half substitute.

The 25-year-old has played four games for the two-time champions in the ongoing FIFA World Cup campaign. Nevertheless, his best performance came in the side’s round-of-16 clash against Paraguay. While Les Bleus struggled to score from open play against the South American side, their defence stood firm and conceded no goals.

The AS Roma midfielder completed the most passes in the game (66) while maintaining an accuracy of 93 per cent. He also had a shot on target as he made four defensive contributions. He also won three of the three aerial duels he was involved in against La Albirroja.

However, Aurelien Tchouameni has been a more trustworthy option for Didier Deschamps, as the former Monaco midfielder can also help the side with goalscoring. The 26-year-old also recorded an assist in the ongoing tournament, which came during Les Bleus’ 4-1 triumph over Norway in their final group-stage game.

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