Pakistan, July 15 -- France's march to the World Cup semifinals has been powered by the goals of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, but the players believe an equally important part of their success has been forged away from the cameras, in hotel rooms and private conversations without the coaching staff.

Didier Deschamps' side face Spain on Tuesday seeking to reach a third successive World Cup final, having developed a unity that midfielder Adrien Rabiot and defender Jules Kounde say extends well beyond tactical meetings and training sessions.

The players analyze matches together in small groups, challenging each other and taking responsibility for finding solutions beyond those provided by Deschamps and his assistants.

"We communicat...