Spain Reaches World Cup Final After 2-0 Win Over France

Spain secured a place in the 2026 World Cup final for only the second time in its history by defeating France 2-0 in a dominant semifinal match held overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a penalty awarded after a foul by France's Lucas Digne, who also mistakenly contributed to Spain's second goal. Pedro Poro sealed the victory with a superb strike in the 58th minute. Spain, the reigning European champions, will face the winner of the England versus Argentina semifinal in the final.

France entered the tournament as one of the favorites and was widely regarded as the most exciting and lethal team, but Spain's defensive resilience proved decisive. Spain conceded only one goal throughout the tournament, and their defense was even more impressive in this match, limiting France to just three shots on target, two of which came during stoppage time. French star Kylian Mbappé, who faced Spain's Alamin Yamal for the 11th time, had one of his weakest performances of the tournament.

Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente has overseen a team that, while not always spectacular in this tournament, has been efficient and clinical in front of goal. This victory highlights the success of Spain's recent development process and their ability to combine strong defense with effective attacking opportunities. Meanwhile, Mbappé and France will compete against Croatia for third place.