Spain kept its place FIFA World Cup 2026 Final After defeating France 2-0 in an exciting semi-final encounter. An early error from Lucas Digne proved costly for Les Bleus as La Furia Roja took full advantage to end France’s impressive World Cup run.
A costly mistake helps Spain stop France
Didier Deschamps’ team made a bright start to the semi-finals, determined to end their recent unlucky record against Spain. Les Bleus looked composed in the opening stages and created more dangerous opportunities in the first 15 minutes.
However, just as France settled into the match, disaster struck. Lucas Digne’s mistimed challenge on Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area resulted in a penalty for Spain.
Although the contact appeared accidental, the referee had no choice but to point to the spot after reviewing the incident. Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted the penalty to give La Furia Roja a 1-0 lead.
Falling behind disrupted France’s early game plan and things took a turn for the worse shortly after William Saliba was forced off with an injury. With the lead, Spain grew in confidence and began to control the pace of the match.
Deschamps’ second-half changes failed to fire up France
Deschamps tried to change the pace by replacing Adrien Rabiot at half-time, but the adjustment failed to have the desired effect. Manu Kone, who came on as Rabiot’s replacement, struggled to provide the same balance and control in midfield.
Instead of finding an equaliser, France conceded a second goal in the 58th minute when Pedro Porro finished off another well-worked Spanish attack.
That second goal left Les Bleus with a mountain to climb. Although France pushed forward in the closing stages and created several dangerous moments, Spain remained organized in defense and controlled the game perfectly until the final whistle.
Another talking point was Deschamps’ reluctance to significantly alter France’s attacking approach after falling behind. Les Bleus continued to build patiently early in the match rather than introducing a more physical focal point like Jean-Philippe Mateta or Marcus Thuram. A more direct style would have created different problems for Spain’s defence, but La Furia Roja managed to defend in the same organized manner throughout the second half.
In the end, Spain’s tactical discipline, efficient game management and clinical finishing proved decisive against one of the tournament favourites.
The win sends La Furia Roja to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Finals, where they will face either Argentina or England.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final Result
Spain 2-0 France
⚽ Mikel Oyarzabal (pen. 19′)
⚽ Pedro Porro (58′)
📊 Match Statistics
| Stat | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | 49% | 51% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 0.30 | 1.63 |
| Target Shooting | 3 | 2 |
| Great Chances Created | 0 | 2 |
| Big Chances Missed | 0 | 1 |
| Accurate transmissions | 395 (84%) | 428 (86%) |
| Duels Won | 43 | 52 |
| Saves | 0 | 3 |
| Fouls committed | 11 | 12 |