Spain eliminates France with a clean double and qualifies for the 2026 World Cup final

The Spanish national team booked the first seats in the final match of the 2026 World Cup, after their deserved victory over their French counterpart with two goals to nil in the semifinal held in Arlington, Texas.

Spain delivered a tactically disciplined match, combining possession, high pressing, and defensive solidity, successfully limiting the threat of the French team and their attacking stars throughout most of the game.

Both teams entered the match with clear caution, before Spain began imposing their rhythm through quick movement, position swapping, and pressing the ball carrier, while France relied on the speed of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in the spaces.

The first turning point came in the 22nd minute, when Lamine Yamal won a penalty after being fouled inside the box, with Mikel Oyarzabal stepping up and successfully converting it, giving the Spanish team the lead.

The goal gave Spain more confidence, while France found it difficult to break through their opponent’s defensive organization, despite their attempts to raise the tempo and rely on shots and direct balls.

Lamine Yamal almost added another goal, but his goal was disallowed for offside, keeping the French team in the match at the end of the first half.

In the second half, France tried to advance with greater numbers in search of an equalizer, but they left spaces that Spain exploited to execute organized and fast attacks.

In the 58th minute, Pedro Porro strengthened Spain’s lead by scoring the second goal after a pass from Dani Olmo, putting France in a more complicated task and giving "La Roja" a comfortable advantage.

After the second goal, Spain managed the remainder of the match calmly, maintaining their balance between defense and attack, while France’s attempts were met with the solidity of the backline and the brilliance of goalkeeper Unai Simón.

Mbappé was unable to leave his usual mark, as the Spanish defense imposed tight marking on him and closed the spaces he relies on for launching and shooting.

Spain showed clear maturity in the final minutes, as they did not retreat randomly but continued to keep possession and keep France away from dangerous areas until the final whistle.

With this victory, Spain returns to the World Cup final for the first time since the 2010 edition, when they won their only world title after defeating the Netherlands.

They also continued their superiority in recent knockout encounters against France, having previously overcome the French team in the 2024 European Championship semifinal and the UEFA Nations League final.

As for France, their journey ended at the semifinal stage as they sought to reach the final for the third consecutive time, and they will move on to play the third-place playoff match.

Spain awaits in the final the winner of the England-Argentina match, in an anticipated conclusion that will see them face one of the top contenders for the title.

The qualification represents the culmination of a strong journey for the Spanish team, which overcame Austria in the round of 32, then Portugal in the round of 16, Belgium in the quarterfinals, before defeating France with a clean double to continue their progress towards their second world title in history.