Spain stop 'unstoppable' France, reach World Cup final after 16 years
Mikel Oyarzabal's first-half penalty and Pedro Porro's superb finish seal a deserved semi-final victory for La Roja.
Highlights:
- Spain beat France 2-0 in World Cup semi-final
- Oyarzabal penalty breaks deadlock before halftime
- Porro doubles lead after dominant restart
- Spain will face England or Argentina in the final
Spain booked their place in the 2026 Fifa World Cup final for the first time in 16 years after ending France's impressive run with a commanding 2-0 victory in the semi-final at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, today (14 July).
La Roja controlled the contest from the outset and were rewarded in the 22nd minute when Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted from the penalty spot after teenage sensation Lamine Yamal was brought down inside the area by Lucas Digne.
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The penalty survived a VAR review, giving Spain a deserved breakthrough after an impressive opening spell.
France's problems deepened before the interval when centre-back William Saliba was forced off through injury, disrupting Didier Deschamps' defensive setup at a crucial stage of the match.
Any hopes of a French response after the restart were quickly extinguished in the 58th minute.
Right-back Pedro Porro finished off a slick passing move after combining with Dani Olmo, doubling Spain's advantage and leaving France with an increasingly daunting task.
Spain continued to dictate possession with their trademark patience and precision, while France struggled to create meaningful openings despite introducing fresh attacking options.
Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise found little space against an organised Spanish backline that rarely looked troubled.
Yamal remained a constant threat throughout and even had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside, capping another influential performance from the 19-year-old winger.
France pushed forward in the closing stages, but Spain defended with discipline and composure to preserve their clean sheet and complete another statement victory over their European rivals.
The result sends Spain into the World Cup final for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2010.
They will face the winners of Wednesday's semi-final between England and Argentina, while France must regroup for the third-place playoff.
