From the presence of legends on the stands to Zlatan's tears; Attempts to rob Yamal's house and the Emiratis' income from Iranian players

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Sports Service: The semi-final of the 2026 World Cup between France and Spain at the Dallas Stadium, in addition to a sensitive football match, hosted numerous marginal events. From the presence of world football's famous figures in the stands and controversial statements by head coaches to the failed attempt to rob Lamine Yamal's house, Zlatan's brilliance as a TV pundit with over 8 billion views, as well as the $1.7 million earned by Emirati clubs from Iranian players, all were part of the fringes of this sensitive match.

 

The presence of prominent figures in the stands

The Dallas stadium hosted famous figures from the world of football. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was in the 41st presence at the 2026 World Cup stadiums, witnessed the sensitive match up close. Also, a group of world football legends including Xavi Hernandez, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol (members of the 2010 Spanish Golden Generation), David Beckham, Marcel Desailly, Javier Pastore, Alessandro Del Piero, Fernando Torres, Roberto Carlos, Arsene Wenger, Youri Djorkaeff, Blaise Matuidi, Claude Makelele and David Trezeguet were present in the stands and watched the game closely.

 

Spain coach's comments

After this valuable victory, successful Spain coach Luis Delafuente praised his players' performance and said with special confidence: "We started almost four years ago with an idea and a mindset and we stayed true to it. Today, France faced the best team in the world and that made the difference. These players are exceptional and they make difficult tasks look easy. "Reaching the World Cup final is a big responsibility, but at the same time a special honor for all of us." He also emphasized that his team will enter the field more determined than ever to win the title in the final against Argentina.

 

Confirmation of Zidane's replacement on the French bench

On the sidelines of this match, the news of Zinedine Zidane's replacement for Didier Deschamps becoming official attracted a lot of attention. According to the confirmation of Fabrizio Romano, a well-known Italian journalist, Zidane, who has not led any team since the summer of 2021, has reached a final agreement with the French Football Federation and will be officially introduced as the new head coach of the Roosters after the end of the World Cup and the classification match. This is while Deschamps will have a bitter farewell to the team in the classification match after 14 years on the bench of the French national team.

 

Failed attempt to rob Lamine Yamal's house

One of the most controversial aspects of the match was the attempt by thieves to enter the home of Lamine Yamal, a 19-year-old and promising Spanish star in Barcelona. According to the media outlet El Espanyol, immediately after the match, while Yamal had played for his country's first team and scored a goal (which was disallowed for offside), two unknown individuals tried to climb the wall of his house, but the guards present at the scene intervened in time and prevented the failed robbery. Yamal, who played in seven games for Spain in his first World Cup experience, is considered one of Delafuente's key players.

 

Zlatan; The undisputed star of the TV sidelines

But without a doubt, one of the most controversial figures of the 2026 World Cup off the pitch is Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has become more than just a regular analyst as a Fox pundit. His short videos on social media have already been viewed more than 8 billion times, and he has announced with his usual humor that he needs 10 billion. His heated debates with former US defender Alexi Lalas, in which he said of the French's self-confidence: "It's not arrogance; it's self-confidence. Only stupid people see it as arrogance," had a wide resonance. Also, after the US national team was eliminated, he stood in front of a graphic of the country's flag and said, without exaggeration, "America is eliminated. The American dream is over. Next time, call it football, not soccer." In a completely different vein, Zlatan broke down in tears on live television after Bosnia and Herzegovina's historic qualification to the knockout stages, saying: "This is what makes football beautiful. Bosnia has suffered a lot. It's very emotional for me to see the joy of the people of this country; my father's roots are from there." He then went on to criticize England winger Noni Maduke, saying: "It's as if England were playing with 10 men. If I were Tuchel, I would have substituted him at half-time."