Spain have booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after defeating tournament favourites France 2-0 in Tuesday’s semifinal.
The reigning European champions produced a composed display to end France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro getting on the scoresheet.
Spain took control of the contest in the first half when Oyarzabal calmly converted a penalty after Lamine Yamal was brought down inside the area. France pushed for an equaliser after the break, but Spain doubled their advantage through Pedro Porro to seal a deserved victory and secure their place in Sunday’s showpiece.
The victory continues Spain’s impressive tournament run and keeps alive their dream of lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy for a second time, having last won the competition in 2010.
Under head coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain have once again demonstrated the disciplined, possession-based football that has made them one of the standout teams of the tournament.
For France, the defeat ends another deep World Cup campaign despite entering the semifinal as one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Didier Deschamps’ side struggled to break down Spain’s organised defence and were unable to recover after falling behind early in the match.
Spain will now face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between England and Argentina in the World Cup final, while France will compete in the third-place playoff.
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