Spain Beat France 2-0 to Reach World Cup Final
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Spain reached the FIFA World Cup final with a 2-0 victory over France, scoring once in each half and reducing one of the tournament’s most powerful attacks to a series of low-value chances.
Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute, before Pedro Porro completed a sharp exchange with Dani Olmo and scored in the 58th. Spain will contest its second men’s World Cup final and its first since winning the title in 2010.
Spain turned one defensive mistake into the lead
The opening 20 minutes were cautious, with both teams protecting the centre and limiting direct access to goal.
France’s first major error changed the match.
Marc Cucurella sent a high delivery toward the right side of the French penalty area. Lucas Digne struggled to clear the bouncing ball and caught Lamine Yamal as the Spain winger arrived behind him.
Referee Iván Barton awarded the penalty.
Oyarzabal struck firmly beyond Mike Maignan in the 22nd minute, giving Spain the score advantage without requiring a sustained sequence of pressure.
The goal altered the responsibilities on both sides. Spain could circulate possession without forcing the next attack, while France had to open more passing lanes around Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot.
Saliba’s injury disrupted France’s defensive structure
France lost William Saliba after approximately half an hour.
Maxence Lacroix replaced him alongside Dayot Upamecano, forcing Didier Deschamps to change his central-defensive partnership before the interval.
The substitution did not directly create Spain’s second goal, but it removed one of France’s strongest progressive defenders and added another adjustment to a team already chasing the score.
Spain nearly doubled the lead in the 38th minute after a quick combination involving Álex Baena, Dani Olmo, Yamal and Fabián Ruiz.
A French defender diverted Oyarzabal’s effort behind.
France’s best first-half route came immediately before the break. Kylian Mbappé accelerated into space, but Unai Simón left his penalty area early and ended the attack before the France captain could shoot.
Spain entered half-time 1-0 ahead without allowing a shot on target.
Porro completed Spain’s cleanest move
France introduced Manu Koné for Rabiot at half-time and pushed more aggressively into Spain’s half.
The added pressure produced territory but also created space behind the first line.
Spain used that space in the 58th minute.
Porro received the ball outside the area on the right, paused and passed into Olmo near the edge of the box. Olmo returned it immediately into the full-back’s forward run.
Porro accelerated beyond the defensive line and finished with his right foot past Maignan.
The move contained only a few passes, but each action changed the angle of France’s defence. Porro began outside the block, Olmo drew attention centrally and the return ball released the runner before France could reset.
Spain led 2-0.
Yamal thought he had scored a third moments later, curling the ball into the net from close range, but the offside flag correctly ended the move.
France’s pressure arrived after the score had moved away
Mbappé registered France’s first shot on target in the 64th minute.
Simón pushed the attempt behind, then Spain’s defensive line blocked another dangerous effort three minutes later.
Deschamps introduced Désiré Doué, Rayan Cherki and Théo Hernández as France searched for greater one-against-one threat.
The changes increased the number of French attacks around the box.
They did not produce a clear central chance equivalent to either Spanish goal.
Ousmane Dembélé recorded France’s final shot on target deep into stoppage time. By then, Spain had controlled the score for more than an hour and was protecting space rather than chasing possession.
France completed the match with 10 shots and three on target.
Its expected-goal total was only 0.30.
France won territory but Spain won shot quality
The match statistics create two different pictures.
France led the corner count, entered the final third more often and recorded more touches inside Spain’s penalty area.
Spain produced the better chances and made fewer damaging errors.
| Match statistic | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 0 | 2 |
| Possession | 49% | 51% |
| Expected goals | 0.30 | 1.63 |
| Total shots | 10 | 10 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 2 |
| Big chances | 0 | 3 |
| Touches in opposition box | 20 | 13 |
| Final-third entries | 44 | 36 |
| Corners | 7 | 1 |
| Tackles | 14 | 22 |
| Clearances | 11 | 22 |
| Recoveries | 46 | 50 |
| Aerial duels won | 8 | 17 |
| Duel share | 44% | 56% |
The equal shot count did not represent equal danger.
Oyarzabal’s penalty and Porro’s central finish accounted for most of Spain’s 1.63 expected goals. France’s 10 attempts were spread across lower-probability positions and produced no recorded big chance.
Spain also made zero errors leading to a shot, while France made two.
That difference explains how France could spend more time around the penalty area and still lose without scoring.
Spain’s defence handled four elite attackers
France began with Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Mbappé.
All four possess the speed and technical ability to punish an aggressive defensive line.
Spain prevented them from connecting consistently.
Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte protected the central area, while Cucurella and Porro dealt with wide isolation and France’s repeated crosses.
Rodri and Fabián Ruiz limited the quality of the first pass after French recoveries.
France attempted 20 crosses, but only four reached a teammate.
Mbappé finished with three shots, none on target, and was caught offside three times.
Dembélé supplied two of France’s shots on target, but neither created a rebound or second action inside the six-yard area.
Spain recorded its sixth clean sheet in seven World Cup matches and has conceded only one goal during the tournament.
Porro delivered at both ends
Porro’s goal made him the most visible match-winner after Oyarzabal’s opening penalty.
His broader contribution explains why the second goal was not an isolated attacking moment.
The right-back completed 23 of 28 passes, made three clearances, won two tackles and added an interception before leaving in the 84th minute.
He also helped Spain defend the crosses and switches France used to move away from the central block.
Porro’s forward movement for the goal came at the correct time because Olmo had secured possession with his back to goal.
The run did not leave Spain exposed.
Rodri shifted behind the action, Cubarsí protected the right channel and Porro completed the attack before France could counter.
Oyarzabal gave Spain an early reference point
Oyarzabal’s penalty was his most important action, but his movement also gave Spain a central target between Upamecano and Saliba, then Lacroix.
He repeatedly dropped toward Olmo before moving behind France’s midfield.
That movement helped create the 38th-minute chance and opened lanes for Yamal and Baena.
Oyarzabal left after 74 minutes, with Ferran Torres taking over the central role.
By that stage, Spain no longer needed its striker to press continuously or hold the ball for long periods. The team could defend the advantage and threaten the spaces France left.
Yamal influenced the result without scoring
Yamal did not need a goal to shape the semi-final.
His movement behind Digne won the penalty, and his presence on the right repeatedly forced France’s left side to defend facing its own goal.
The disallowed second-half finish showed how quickly he could move from a wide position into the scoring area.
The match continued Yamal’s advantage in high-level knockout meetings with Mbappé.
Spain also eliminated France in the EURO 2024 semi-final and the 2025 UEFA Nations League semi-final.
The World Cup result made it three consecutive major semi-final eliminations for France against Spain.
Rodri and Ruiz controlled the pressure phases
Spain did not dominate every section of the match with possession.
France pushed the ball into advanced areas after half-time and used its substitutes to increase attacking numbers.
Rodri and Ruiz kept those phases from becoming chaotic.
Rodri completed 59 of 68 passes and won 11 duels, including four aerial contests.
Ruiz completed 56 of 65 passes, created two chances and recovered the ball seven times.
Their positioning allowed Spain’s defenders to clear crosses without immediately returning possession to France in dangerous areas.
When Pedri and Mikel Merino entered in the 78th minute, Spain gained fresher players capable of keeping the ball through the final stages.
Merino’s appearance was his 50th for Spain.
Full Spain vs France timeline
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 9’ | Adrien Rabiot receives the first yellow card |
| 20’ | Lucas Digne fouls Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area |
| 22’ | Mikel Oyarzabal converts the penalty for Spain |
| 30’ | Maxence Lacroix replaces the injured William Saliba |
| 31’ | Marc Cucurella is booked |
| 38’ | France blocks Oyarzabal’s chance after Spain’s one-touch move |
| 42’ | Unai Simón races outside his box to stop Mbappé |
| 46’ | Manu Koné replaces Rabiot |
| 57’ | Désiré Doué replaces Bradley Barcola |
| 58’ | Pedro Porro scores from Dani Olmo’s return pass |
| 60’ | Lamine Yamal has a goal disallowed for offside |
| 64’ | Simón saves France’s first shot on target from Mbappé |
| 72’ | Théo Hernández and Rayan Cherki enter |
| 74’ | Ferran Torres replaces Oyarzabal |
| 78’ | Pedri and Mikel Merino replace Olmo and Ruiz |
| 84’ | Marcos Llorente and Nico Williams replace Porro and Baena |
| 86’ | Mbappé receives a yellow card |
| 90+7’ | Full-time: France 0-2 Spain |
Starting lineups and substitutions
France starting XI: Mike Maignan; Jules Koundé, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola; Kylian Mbappé.
France substitutes used: Maxence Lacroix for Saliba 30’; Manu Koné for Rabiot 46’; Désiré Doué for Barcola 57’; Théo Hernández for Digne 72’; Rayan Cherki for Olise 72’.
Spain starting XI: Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Dani Olmo; Álex Baena, Mikel Oyarzabal, Lamine Yamal.
Spain substitutes used: Ferran Torres for Oyarzabal 74’; Pedri for Olmo 78’; Mikel Merino for Ruiz 78’; Marcos Llorente for Porro 84’; Nico Williams for Baena 84’.
The starting structures were nominally similar, but Spain’s midfield changed shape more fluidly.
Olmo operated between the lines, Ruiz moved forward from the left and Rodri remained behind the ball. France’s front four had greater individual pace, but its midfield struggled to connect them against Spain’s pressure.
Key players who decided the semi-final
Pedro Porro — the second goal and the right-side balance
Porro timed the decisive run, finished accurately and still completed the defensive work required against Mbappé and Doué.
His performance showed Spain’s ability to attack through a full-back without weakening the recovery structure behind him.
Mikel Oyarzabal — calm from the penalty spot
Oyarzabal converted the first major chance and gave Spain control of the score.
His movement between the centre-backs also created space for Olmo and Yamal during Spain’s strongest passing sequences.
Dani Olmo — the connection behind the second goal
Olmo received Porro’s pass under pressure and returned it with one touch.
The assist removed two defenders from the move and allowed Porro to enter the penalty area at speed.
Rodri — Spain’s control point
Rodri’s duel success and passing kept France from turning territorial pressure into repeated counterpressing opportunities.
He remained the player Spain used to reset possession when the match threatened to become open.
Unai Simón — early positioning and late saves
Simón’s most important first-half action came outside the penalty area when he stopped Mbappé’s run before a shot developed.
He later made three saves and preserved Spain’s sixth clean sheet of the tournament.
Kylian Mbappé — contained by Spain’s spacing
Mbappé received little clean service between the centre-backs.
His three attempts failed to reach the target, and Spain repeatedly forced him to begin attacks from wide or offside positions.
Lucas Digne — one mistake changed France’s task
Digne’s attempted clearance produced the penalty.
The incident did not account for France’s entire defeat, but it gave Spain the lead and allowed Luis de la Fuente’s side to manage the game on its preferred terms.
Spain reached its second World Cup final
Spain’s only previous men’s World Cup final came in 2010, when Andrés Iniesta scored the extra-time winner against the Netherlands.
The current team enters the final after winning the 2023 UEFA Nations League and EURO 2024.
Spain will face the winner of England and Argentina on Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium.
England reached the semi-final after Jude Bellingham’s two goals eliminated Norway, while Argentina advanced through a 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland.
Spain is one win from adding a second star 16 years after its first.
France’s final match will be for third place
France’s attempt to reach a third consecutive World Cup final ended in Dallas.
The defeat was its first in a World Cup knockout match since losing 1-0 to Germany in the 2014 quarter-final. France had gone 11 knockout matches without defeat, recording 10 wins and one draw.
It was also France’s fourth World Cup semi-final defeat after 1958, 1982 and 1986.
France will play the loser of England-Argentina in the third-place match on Saturday, July 18, in Miami.
The match is expected to be Didier Deschamps’ final game as France coach.
💭 TheTrendsWire's Take
France produced more corners, more final-third entries and more penalty-area touches. Spain produced the only three big chances, won the duel battle and made no error that led to a shot. The difference was not total attacking volume. It was the value of each action. Spain turned one French mistake and one precise combination into two goals, then defended every route France used to respond.
TL;DR
- Spain beat France 2-0 in the World Cup semi-final.
- Mikel Oyarzabal scored a 22nd-minute penalty.
- Pedro Porro made it 2-0 in the 58th minute from Dani Olmo’s assist.
- Lamine Yamal later had a goal disallowed for offside.
- France had seven corners and 20 box touches but only 0.30 expected goals.
- Spain created three big chances and recorded 1.63 expected goals.
- Spain kept its sixth clean sheet in seven tournament matches.
- Spain will face England or Argentina in the July 19 final.
- France will play in the July 18 third-place match.
- The defeat is expected to leave Didier Deschamps with one final game as France coach.
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Culture & Entertainment Reporter
Marcus Webb writes about music, film, TV, and digital culture. He tracks the trends shaping entertainment and the creators driving them.
