Spain booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final after a clinical 2-0 victory over France in their semifinal clash at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. First-half composure and a disciplined defensive display allowed La Roja to overcome one of the tournament favorites and move within one victory of lifting the World Cup trophy.
The Spanish side took control of the contest early, forcing France to defend for long stretches with their trademark possession-based football. Their patience was rewarded in the 22nd minute when Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted from the penalty spot after France conceded a foul inside the area. The Real Sociedad forward sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, giving Spain a deserved 1-0 advantage and shifting the momentum firmly in their favor.
France attempted to respond before halftime by committing more players forward, but Spain’s organized backline prevented Les Bleus from creating clear-cut opportunities. The French attack struggled to break through Spain’s compact defensive structure, while the midfield battle was largely dictated by the Spaniards, who controlled possession and slowed the tempo whenever France threatened to build momentum.
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The second half saw France increase the pressure in search of an equalizer, but Spain continued to look dangerous on the counterattack. Their persistence paid off in the 58th minute when Pedro Porro doubled the lead. The defender capitalized on an attacking move to fire home Spain’s second goal, putting daylight between the two sides and leaving France with a mountain to climb.
𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐋𝐄, 𝐎𝐋𝐄, 𝐎𝐋𝐄… 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃-𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐔𝐏 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 🎶🇪🇸
Mikel Oyarzabal shows up for Spain once again, while Pedro Porro scores his second-ever goal for La Roja 👏
It’s the first… pic.twitter.com/6MNSBUpD6a
— 433 (@433) July 14, 2026
At 2-0 down, France threw numbers forward in an attempt to revive their hopes of reaching the final. However, Spain remained composed under pressure, frustrating every French attack with disciplined defending and intelligent game management. The Spanish defense denied France any meaningful route back into the contest, while goalkeeper and backline combined to preserve another clean sheet in the tournament.
Spain’s victory highlighted their balance throughout the competition. While their attacking quality once again proved decisive through goals from Oyarzabal and Porro, their defensive organization was equally impressive, shutting out one of the tournament’s most talented attacking teams on the biggest stage.
For France, the defeat marked a disappointing end to their quest for another World Cup title. Despite entering the semifinal with confidence after eliminating Morocco in the quarterfinals, they were unable to match Spain’s intensity or efficiency in key moments. Les Bleus will now shift their focus to the third-place playoff, where they will have an opportunity to end their campaign on a positive note.
Spain, meanwhile, advance to the World Cup final full of confidence. Having eliminated Portugal, Belgium, and now France in successive knockout rounds, La Roja have demonstrated both resilience and championship credentials. They now await the winner of the second semifinal between England and Argentina, with the World Cup title just one match away.
Goals
- Spain 1-0 France: Mikel Oyarzabal (Penalty, 22′)
- Spain 2-0 France: Pedro Porro (58′)
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