Spain produced a commanding display to defeat France 2-0 and book their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, ending the hopes of the tournament favourites with a disciplined and clinical performance in Arlington, Texas.
The reigning European champions controlled large spells of the semi-final, combining defensive solidity with midfield dominance to silence France’s dangerous attacking line led by Kylian Mbappe.
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro ensured Spain secured a deserved victory and moved one step closer to lifting their second World Cup title.
Spain seized the initiative from the opening whistle, dictating possession through the influential trio of Rodri, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo.
Their intelligent movement and accurate passing prevented France from establishing any rhythm, forcing the former champions onto the back foot for much of the contest.
The breakthrough arrived in the 20th minute after Spain’s sustained pressure paid off.
A foul inside the penalty area handed Oyarzabal the opportunity to open the scoring, and the forward calmly converted from the spot to give his side a crucial first-half advantage.
France struggled to respond as Spain continued to frustrate their opponents with organised defending and quick transitions.
The situation worsened for Didier Deschamps’ side when defender William Saliba was forced off through injury before halftime, disrupting the French backline.
After the restart, Spain maintained control and doubled their lead in the 58th minute.
Pedro Porro finished off a brilliant one-two exchange with Dani Olmo before slotting the ball beyond goalkeeper Mike Maignan, effectively putting the match beyond France’s reach.
Despite introducing fresh legs in an attempt to spark a comeback, France found it difficult to penetrate Spain’s disciplined defence.
Mbappe and his attacking teammates were repeatedly denied clear scoring opportunities as goalkeeper Unai Simon and the Spanish backline stood firm until the final whistle.
The victory sends Spain into Sunday’s World Cup final, where they will meet the winner of the second semi-final between England and defending champions Argentina.
The final promises another heavyweight encounter as Spain chase a historic second FIFA World Cup crown after their maiden triumph in 2010.
For France, the defeat marks a disappointing end to a campaign in which they had entered the knockout stage as one of the strongest title contenders following an impressive run of performances.
