ARLINGTON, Texas — Spain delivered a football masterclass on Tuesday, defeating France 2-0 in a commanding FIFA World Cup semifinal performance to book their place in the 2026 final and extend their remarkable unbeaten run.
La Roja combined defensive resilience with clinical finishing to outclass a French side led by Kylian Mbappé, who was kept quiet for much of the contest by Spain’s disciplined back line. The victory sends Spain into Sunday’s final, where they will face the winner of the England-Argentina semifinal.
Spain struck first in the 22nd minute after teenage sensation Lamine Yamal won a penalty following a clumsy challenge in the box. Veteran forward Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted from the spot, giving Spain a deserved lead after an energetic opening spell. Yamal thought he had doubled the advantage moments later, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
France attempted to respond through Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, but Spain’s organized midfield and rock-solid defense denied Les Bleus any clear-cut opportunities. Every French attack was met with composed defending and relentless pressing from Luis de la Fuente’s side.
The decisive moment arrived in the 58th minute when Pedro Porro finished a slick passing move initiated by Dani Olmo, firing home to make it 2-0 and leave France with a mountain to climb. The goal capped another flowing Spanish attack that highlighted the team’s technical brilliance and tactical cohesion.
France pushed forward in the closing stages, but Spain remained composed, recording yet another clean sheet in what has become one of the tournament’s most impressive defensive campaigns. Goalkeeper Unai Simón and the Spanish back four stood firm as France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final faded.
The result underlines Spain’s emergence as the tournament’s standout team. Blending youthful flair through Lamine Yamal with experienced leaders such as Oyarzabal and an intelligent midfield orchestrated by Dani Olmo, Spain has displayed a balance of creativity, discipline, and confidence throughout the competition.
Now just one victory away from lifting football’s biggest prize, Spain heads into the World Cup final brimming with belief, while France must regroup ahead of the third-place playoff after a night in which they were comprehensively outplayed.
