Spain booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final with a commanding 2-0 victory over France in Tuesday’s semi-final at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The European champions produced a disciplined display to end France’s title hopes and move within one win of lifting their second World Cup trophy.
France entered the match as one of the tournament’s most prolific attacking teams after scoring 16 goals in six matches. However, Didier Deschamps’ side struggled to break down a well-organised Spanish defence.
Spain Control Midfield Battle
Spain dominated possession and controlled the midfield through Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Fabian Ruiz. Their performance denied France the space needed to launch attacks.
Despite boasting stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, and Desire Doue, France failed to register a shot on target until the closing stages of the match.
By then, Spain had already built a comfortable two-goal advantage and managed the game with confidence.
Mbappe Admits France Fell Short
France captain Kylian Mbappe admitted his side could not match Spain’s quality on the night.
“We kept finding ourselves outnumbered 3-on-2 in midfield, and against Spain, that’s a real problem,” Mbappe said.
“I don’t think we played the match we wanted to play, whether tactically, technically, or in terms of our overall performance.”
The Real Madrid forward added that France paid the price for failing to perform at their best.
“When you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win,” he said.
Deschamps Ends Era with Semi-Final Exit
The defeat also marked the end of Didier Deschamps’ tenure as France head coach after 14 years in charge.
Deschamps leaves having guided France to the 2018 World Cup title and the 2022 final. However, the semi-final defeat raises questions over his tactical approach against Spain’s possession-based style.
Spain will now prepare for the World Cup final, where they will face the winner of the other semi-final between Argentina and England.
