DALLAS, USA — Spain put on a tactical masterclass to completely dismantle a subdued French side, cruising to a comfortable 2-0 victory in the first semifinal of the FIFA World Cup 2026™. With this dominant display at the Dallas Stadium, Luis de la Fuente’s men have secured their ticket to the ultimate showdown, marking only their second-ever World Cup final appearance.
Match Highlights & Analysis
From the starting whistle, Spain controlled the tempo of the game, neutralizing France’s lethal counter-attacks. The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute. Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal was clipped inside the box by Lucas Digne after a dazzling run. Mikel Oyarzabal stepped up and confidently slotted the penalty past Mike Maignan.
Things went from bad to worse for Didier Deschamps’ side when defensive stalwart William Saliba was forced off due to an injury shortly after.
In the second half, Spain put the game to bed. In the 58th minute, Pedro Porro combined beautifully with Dani Olmo, executing a sublime one-two before burying a sensational strike into the bottom corner.
Despite subbing on fresh attacking options like Rayan Cherki and Désiré Doué, France failed to break down a resolute Spanish backline marshaled by Marc Cucurella and Aymeric Laporte. Kylian Mbappé was kept quiet throughout, leaving Les Bleus to settle for the third-place play-off this Saturday. Spain will now face either Argentina or England in the grand finale on Sunday.
