Spain overwhelms France 2-0 to reach the World Cup final
Spain is returning to the World Cup final after a commanding 2-0 semifinal victory over France on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, ending one of the tournament favorites’ hopes of lifting the trophy.
France entered the match with considerable pedigree. It won the 2018 World Cup and reached the 2022 final, where it lost to Argentina. But Spain’s control and defensive discipline proved decisive. The reigning European champion has conceded just one goal at this World Cup and has now gone unbeaten for two years, extending its run to 37 matches — 28 wins, nine draws and no losses.
Neither team had trailed during the tournament before Spain broke the deadlock in the 21st minute with a penalty kick. The goal changed the shape of the match, forcing France to chase an equalizer against a Spanish side that has consistently limited opponents’ opportunities.
Spain doubled its advantage in the 58th minute, with Pedro Porro celebrating the second goal. From there, Spain protected its lead and neutralized France’s attacking threats, including Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise.
Mbappé had entered the semifinal as the tournament’s Golden Boot leader, with eight goals and three assists. Argentina’s Lionel Messi was close behind with eight goals and two assists. Neither player’s production could alter a match in which Spain’s organization kept France from finding a path back into the contest.
A final against Argentina or England
Spain’s next challenge comes Sunday in the championship match, where it will face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Argentina and England. The result will determine whether Spain meets the reigning world champion from 2022 or an England team seeking to finish its own run with a place in the final.
The victory gives Spain a chance to add another major title to a résumé that already includes the 2010 World Cup and its status as Europe’s reigning champion. It also puts the team’s remarkable unbeaten streak and defensive record at the center of the buildup to Sunday’s decisive match.
France will not leave the tournament immediately. It will play in Saturday’s third-place match against the losing team from the Argentina-England semifinal, giving the team one final opportunity to close the competition with a victory.