Spain Triumphs Over France to Reach FIFA World Cup Final

Spain Secures Spot in World Cup Final

In a thrilling FIFA World Cup semi-final held in Arlington, Texas, Spain emerged victorious with a 2-0 win against France on Tuesday. This victory marks Spain's third consecutive win over the French team, following their successes in the UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2025 UEFA Nations League semi-finals.

Oyarzabal Achieves 30-Goal Milestone

Mikel Oyarzabal has been in exceptional form, netting 18 goals in his last 20 appearances for Spain. His successful penalty kick made him the sixth player in history to score 30 goals for the national team, joining the ranks of David Silva (35), Alvaro Morata (37), Fernando Torres (38), Raul (44), and David Villa (59). Pedro Porro was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.

Spain Dominates First Half

Spain took the lead in the first half when Oyarzabal converted a penalty after Lamine Yamal was fouled in the box. Early in the second half, Pedro Porro extended Spain's lead, securing their place in the World Cup final, where they will face either England or Argentina on July 19 in East Rutherford.

France's situation worsened when central defender William Saliba had to leave the match due to a back injury, replaced by Maxence Lacroix. Spain controlled the game, limiting the effectiveness of France's attacking trio, which included Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe, and Ousmane Dembele, as they went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

Historically, only Argentina in 1990 and Croatia in 2018 have managed to overturn a halftime deficit to win a World Cup semi-final.

French Substitutions Fail to Shift Momentum

In an effort to change the game's dynamics, French coach Didier Deschamps substituted Manu Kone for Adrien Rabiot at halftime and later introduced Desire Doue for Bradley Barcola. Despite these changes, Spain maintained their dominance through effective pressing and key saves from goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Porro's Goal Secures Final Qualification

Porro capped off a well-executed attacking sequence to score Spain's second goal, effectively sealing the match for Spain. With this win, Spain matched Italy's record of 37 consecutive matches without defeat and advanced to their second FIFA World Cup final.