Spain produced an impressive performance to defeat tournament favourites France and secure a place in the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding semi-final victory in Dallas.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring midway through the first half from the penalty spot after France defender Lucas Digne fouled Spain winger Lamine Yamal while attempting to clear the ball inside the penalty area.
The goal handed Spain an early advantage and put France under pressure as they searched for a route back into the contest.
However, rather than mounting a comeback, France found themselves further behind as Spain tightened their grip on the match with composed and disciplined football.
Spain doubled their lead following an excellent exchange between Pedro Porro and Dani Olmo, with Porro finishing the move by firing home at the near post.
The Spaniards maintained control for the remainder of the encounter, displaying composure, organisation and quality in possession to comfortably see out the victory.
The result sends Spain into the World Cup final, where they will seek to add another global title to their footballing achievements.
For France, the defeat ends hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final and consigns them to Saturday’s third-place playoff.
The match also marks the beginning of the end of an era for French football, with head coach Didier Deschamps set to step down after the tournament following 14 years in charge of the national team.
