The journey for the French national team concluded abruptly as they exited the 2026 World Cup at the semi-final stage, succumbing to a dominant Spanish performance. This highly anticipated encounter, resembling an early final, saw Spain assert complete control, leaving the French squad largely ineffective.

First-half misfortune: penalty and injury plague France

The opening half proved to be a nightmare for the French side. Spain capitalized on the match’s intense atmosphere, engaging in a series of physical contests that amplified pressure on their opponents. This aggressive approach led to dangerous fouls, notably Adrien Rabiot’s challenge on Dani Olmo early in the game.

The decisive blow came in the 20th minute when Lucas Digne, unaware of Lamine Yamal’s presence behind him, brought down the Spanish forward inside the penalty area. Although the contact appeared minimal, it was sufficient for the referee to award a spot-kick. Mikel Oyarzabal confidently converted the penalty, maintaining his perfect record from the spot and putting Spain ahead.

Further misfortune struck France around the half-hour mark when William Saliba was forced off due to injury, with Maxence Lacroix entering the fray as his replacement.

Spain’s masterful second goal

At halftime, sensing Adrien Rabiot’s growing tension and the risk of a second yellow card, Didier Deschamps opted for a midfield change, introducing Manu Koné. Despite his impressive performance against Morocco, the AS Roma player struggled to contain the relentless Spanish attack.

In the 58th minute, La Roja delivered a masterclass in attacking football, culminating in their second goal. Pedro Porro finished a superb one-two with Dani Olmo, who, despite being fouled at the edge of the box, managed to lay the ball off for Porro to double Spain’s lead. This goal was emblematic of the exceptional performances from both players throughout the tournament.

France found themselves overwhelmed, and the scoreline nearly worsened moments later. Lamine Yamal, after a brilliant solo run from the right wing, cut inside and fired past Mike Maignan, but his effort was ultimately disallowed in the 61st minute.

Deschamps’ tactical struggles

While Didier Deschamps certainly made efforts to alter the game’s trajectory, his substitutions ultimately failed to shift the momentum. The introductions of Désiré Doué before the hour mark, followed by Théo Hernandez and Rayan Cherki, did little to threaten Spain’s resolute defense. Conversely, Luis de la Fuente had a wealth of talent on his bench and utilized it effectively, bringing on players like Ferran Torres, Pedri, Mikel Merino, and Nico Williams.

With approximately ten minutes remaining in regular time, the French team desperately tried to ignite their attack, but their efforts yielded no clear chances or shots on target. Even an adventurous charge out of his box by Unai Simon went unpunished, as Désiré Doué hesitated to attempt a lob.

Consequently, Spain advances to their first World Cup final since their triumphant campaign in 2010. La Roja now awaits the winner of Wednesday evening’s semi-final clash between Argentina and England.