UEFA Nations

2025-06-05 - Spain vs France

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Spain v France
Football: UEFA Nations League Semi Final
Thursday 5th June 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

Spain

Not every nation has yet to really commit to the importance of the Nations League, but there is a growing appreciation of the event. The defending Champions, Spain, used their success in 2023 to follow up with the European Championship success of last summer and this young group look capable of even more to come.

Between 2008 and 2012, Spain won two European Championships and the World Cup and this is a team that is already used to winning silverware over a decade later. After winning Euro 2024, Spain comfortably topped their Nations League Group ahead of Denmark, Serbia and Switzerland, although they needed Penalties to beat Netherlands in the Quarter Final after two incredibly entertaining matches.

Spain are unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions and they have won 13 of those in normal time, while they have extended their unbeaten run to 11 games in Nations League settings. This is not just a team happy to play at home having secured away wins at Denmark and Switzerland in the Nations League Group Stage, while the squad will have incredibly happy memories of playing in Germany from last summer.

Rodri and Ferran Torres have both been left out, but this is a Spanish squad with incredible depth.

France

Some fans may feel the announcement has come a little late, but Didier Deschamps is entering the final thirteen months of his time as manager of the French national team. He has had some very big successes as manager, no bigger than winning the World Cup, but the criticism has been the style of play and whether France would have won more with a more attack minded Coach.

The World Cup will always be the big prize, but France also won the Nations League under Deschamps in 2021 having gotten the better of hosts Italy and then Spain in the Final. They made a disappointing start to the Nations League when losing at home against Italy, but France rallied to top the Group and then showed character to beat Croatia 2-0 at home in the Quarter Final Second Leg and eventually win that tie on Penalties.

France have lost 1 of their last 7 games since consecutive defeats to Spain in the Euro 2024 Semi Final and Italy in the Nations League opener, and they have won 5 of those matches. The side won all 3 away Nations League games played in the Group, but were beaten 2-0 in Croatia in the Quarter Final First Leg.

Those players involved in the Champions League Final will be in Germany to represent France, but Deschamps may have to check to see if they are available to begin from the start.

Head to Head

Spain came from behind to beat France 2-1 in the Euro 2024 Semi Final last year, which made up for blowing a 1-0 lead in the 1-2 defeat to the French in the Nations League Semi Final in 2021.

The Spanish have won 3 of the last 5 competitive matches against France with the only defeat being that Nations League Semi Final loss mentioned.

Prediction

Club Football should not have a major influence in national team motivations, but you have to believe the Barcelona contingent representing Spain will have something to prove on Thursday in this Nations League Semi Final.

There will still be a real feeling that Barcelona should have beaten Inter Milan and they will certainly feel they would have given Paris Saint-Germain more to think about than the Italian club managed to produce on the day.

Those Barcelona players were influential in Spain's Euro 2024 success last season, namely Lamine Yamal, and this young group still have so much potential to reach. The World Cup will be a real target and Spain may put the marker down by becoming the first consecutive Nations League winners.

France will have something to say about that, but had players involved in the Champions League Final who may not be quite ready to perform again just days later. There is still talent amongst the squad, but Spain have won 3 of the last 5 competitive matches between the nations and can get the better of them again.