Pedro Porro Shines with Second World Cup Goal as Spain Leads France in Semifinal

Spain took a 2-0 lead over France in the 2026 World Cup semifinal on Tuesday night, thanks to a stunning goal by defender Pedro Porro in the 58th minute. This marked Porro's second goal of the tournament, both scored during the knockout stages. His first came in Spain's 3-0 victory over Austria in the round of 32.

Sports journalist Alasdair Gold praised Porro's performance, highlighting his excellent defense and attack, saying, "He deserves this." Spain's official team account celebrated his versatility, questioning if he was a forward rather than a defender. Porro's goal, created through a skillful one-two pass with Dani Olmo, made him only the second Spanish player after Fernando Hierro to score two or more goals in a single World Cup tournament twice (1998 and 2002).

Spanish fans on social media, excluding Real Madrid supporters, joked that Porro has more knockout-stage World Cup goals than Cristiano Ronaldo has in his entire career. Prior to the match, Porro held the highest rating among defenders at the 2026 World Cup according to Whoscored, with a score of 7.71, which likely increased after his performance against the French team. The match continues to unfold as Spain aims for a spot in the final.