Spain vs France - Combined XI | UEFA Nations League Final
Spain and France will battle it out at the iconic San Siro on Sunday for the 2021 UEFA Nations League title. The battle between the two European powerhouses could be a mouth-watering finale.
La Roja ousted reigning European champions Italy 2-1 in the first semi-final, thanks to Ferran Torres' heroics. They will now compete in their first tournament final since Euro 2012.
The next day, their neighbours France pulled off a stunning 3-2 comeback victory over Belgium, netting thrice in the second half to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Les Blues, the reigning world champions, are now just 90 minutes away from their second title in three years. They'll seek to erase the painful memories of their early exit from Euro 2020.
Either way, it's going to be one Helluva showdown on Sunday, with so many top stars in both camps going head-to-head. There's no clear favourite, as both Spain and France were impressive in their victories on Thursday. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Luis Enrique and Didier Deschamps will be engaged in an enticing tactical battle.
The two teams have clashed several times before. But on Sunday, it will be their first meeting since 2017, and arguably their most important one in recent history. Ahead of the much anticipated kick-off, here's how Spain and France would stack up in a hypothetical combined XI:
Goalkeeper: Unai Simon (Spain)
It's always difficult to choose between world-class options like Hugo Lloris and Unai Simon. But if their recent performances are anything to go by, the Spaniard gets the nod here. He was immense in goal for La Roja on Wednesday, frustrating Italy with a series of key saves.
Simon kept his composure when the European champions upped the ante after the break. He most notably denied Federico Bernardeschi with a vital block in the first half which denied the Azzurri from taking the lead in the match.
An excellent reader of the game with a commanding presence inside the area, the Athletic Bilbao custodian is strong in the air. He is tough to beat in one-on-one situations as well.
Against France's formidable attacking frontline featuring Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, he could expect another busy outing. Spain will hope to see Simon muster every ounce of his goalkeeping nous to keep Les Bleus at bay.