ARLINGTON, July 15 — The Spanish national football team has advanced to its second FIFA World Cup final in history after delivering a clinical defensive performance against tournament favorites France. Spain registered a disciplined 2-0 victory in Tuesday’s semifinal at Dallas Stadium, nullifying a star-studded French attack to match Italy’s historic record of 37 consecutive matches unbeaten. The win marks Spain’s third successive knockout phase triumph over Les Bleus in the last three years, building on previous semi-final victories in both UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
The European champions established control in the 22nd minute when Lamine Yamal drew a foul from left-back Lucas Digne inside the penalty box. Mikel Oyarzabal safely converted the ensuing spot-kick to break the deadlock. Spain doubled its advantage early in the second half when full-back Pedro Porro concluded a fluid sequence by trading passes with Dani Olmo and sweeping a low finish into the bottom corner. Spain will now travel to East Rutherford for the tournament showpiece on July 19, where they are scheduled to encounter either England or Argentina.
French captain Kylian Mbappé reflected on the tactical challenges his team faced in establishing any sustained offensive rhythm against the compact Spanish midfield setup.
“We kept finding ourselves outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield,” Mbappé stated following the match. “And against Spain, that’s a real problem…When you put it all together, the result is a defeat. It’s a huge disappointment.”
The match dynamics turned heavily against Didier Deschamps’ squad during the opening period when prominent center-back William Saliba was forced off with a recurring back injury and replaced by Maxence Lacroix. Spain dominated the possession metrics and successfully restricted the operational space for France’s primary attacking threats, maintaining structural shape even through tactical second-half adjustments made by the French technical staff.
Oyarzabal’s opening goal added another milestone to his international career, cementing his status as one of the country’s most prolific recent goalscorers. According to official FIFA records, the forward has now registered 18 goals across his last 20 international appearances. The penalty conversion elevates him as the sixth Spanish player to reach 30 goals for the national team, joining an elite group that includes David Silva, Alvaro Morata, Fernando Torres, Raul, and all-time leader David Villa.
