Spain defeat France 2-0 in World Cup semi-final, advance to final

By Chukwuemeka Umeh — 14 July 2026 — 3 min read

Spain secures World Cup final berth

Spain defeated France 2-0 in a World Cup semi-final match held in Dallas, securing their place in the final for the first time since 2010. The Spanish side will now face either England or Argentina in the final, scheduled for Sunday in New Jersey. The victory marked a dominant performance by Spain, who scored in both halves of the match.

The opening goal for Spain came from a penalty kick by Mikel Oyarzabal. The penalty was awarded after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal in the box. Oyarzabal converted the spot-kick with a composed finish, marking his fifth goal of the tournament. This goal gave Spain the lead, and they maintained their control throughout the game.

Spain’s second goal was scored by Pedro Porro, who delivered a confident finish following a well-executed team move. Porro’s goal sealed the 2-0 victory and marked his third goal involvement in the tournament. This win sends Spain to their first World Cup final in over a decade, showcasing a strong performance against a highly-regarded French squad.

French attack misfires against dominant Spain

France’s offensive efforts were largely contained by Spain’s robust defense and central midfield. Despite having players like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise, the French attack struggled to create significant threats. Mbappe, a key player for France, had only two touches in Spain’s penalty area during the first half and was unable to make a substantial impact on the game.

The French midfield, featuring players such as Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot, was outplayed by Spain’s midfield, led by captain Rodri. Rodri delivered an outstanding performance, effectively suffocating France’s attempts to build play and dominating the central areas of the pitch from start to finish. Rabiot, in particular, had a challenging game, receiving an early booking and being replaced at the start of the second half.

Defensively, France also faced difficulties. William Saliba, an Arsenal centre-half, left the game injured after Spain had scored, marking a disappointing end to his World Cup campaign. His replacement, Maxence Lacroix, came on for the remaining 30 minutes. Jules Kounde struggled with his passing, and Dayot Upamecano, despite making a significant block to deny Fabian Ruiz, could not prevent the Spanish victory.

Mike Maignan, the French goalkeeper, guessed correctly for Oyarzabal’s penalty but was ultimately beaten by its pace and power. He was also noted for some poor distribution during the match. The French team, which had shown solid defensive form throughout the tournament, appeared to struggle in what was described as their first serious test.

Player performances and substitutions

For Spain, goalkeeper Unai Simon maintained his strong form, securing his sixth clean sheet in seven matches. He also made a vital clearance outside his box to prevent Mbappe from capitalizing on an opportunity. Pau Cubarsi was a commanding presence in the heart of Spain’s defense, effectively neutralizing France’s attacking threats. Aymeric Laporte delivered a composed performance, maintaining a passing accuracy of over 90%.

Lamine Yamal, the 19-year-old, was a key figure for Spain, winning the penalty that led to the first goal. Despite having a goal disallowed for offside, his contribution was significant. Dani Olmo also showed class touches and proved to be a nuisance for the French defense. Substitutes for Spain included Ferran Torres, Mikel Merino, Pedri, Marcos Llorente, and Nico Williams, who helped close out the game and secure the win.

For France, substitutes such as Manu Kone, Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki, and Theo Hernandez were brought on to try and change the game’s momentum, but they were unable to inspire a comeback. Malo Gusto was an unused substitute for France in the semi-final. He finishes the World Cup with four appearances, all from the bench, and will hope to feature in the third-place play-off scheduled for Saturday.

Spain’s victory sets up an exciting final on Sunday in New Jersey, where they will compete for the World Cup title against either England or Argentina.

Source: bbc.com