Spain secured their place in Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey after a dominant 2-0 victory over France in a semifinal clash in Arlington, Texas. This marks the second time in history that Spain has reached a World Cup final, having previously won the tournament in 2010. The team now awaits the result of Wednesday’s second semifinal between defending champion Argentina and England to determine their final opponent.
The breakthrough for Spain arrived in the 22nd minute when Mikel Oyarzabal successfully converted a penalty kick. The opportunity was created by teenager Lamine Yamal, who had just celebrated his 19th birthday. Yamal initiated a clever play, drawing a foul from French defender Lucas Digne, who was attempting to clear an awkward bounce in the penalty area. This goal marked Oyarzabal’s fifth of the current tournament and his 30th in 60 international appearances for Spain. Notably, it was the first time in seven matches that either team had trailed in the tournament.
Spain added to their lead in the 58th minute following a give-and-go sequence between defender Pedro Porro and Dani Olmo. Shortly after this, Yamal was denied a potential goal due to a close offside decision. Reflecting on the team’s performance, Porro stated that the squad gave everything to reach the final, emphasizing the collective effort of the team. Spain’s unbeaten streak in regular time has now reached 37 matches, including 28 wins and nine draws since March 2024, surpassing their previous record of 35 consecutive games set between 2007 and 2009.
The defeat ends France’s bid for a third consecutive final appearance, following their 2018 win and their loss to Argentina four years ago. France is now scheduled to compete in the third-place match in Miami Gardens, Florida, this Saturday. This latest result continues a trend of success for Spain against France, marking the third consecutive summer that Spain has eliminated the French in a tournament semifinal, following a 2-1 win in the 2024 European Championship and a 5-4 victory in the Nations League last year.
Defensively, Spain has been formidable, with goalkeeper Unai Simón recording six shutouts while conceding only one goal throughout the seven matches played so far. Conversely, France had only allowed two goals in their first six games. Kylian Mbappé, who had been competing with Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot, started the match for France despite leaving the quarterfinal win against Morocco in the 77th minute. The loss also brought an end to France’s streak of six consecutive World Cup wins.
Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.