— Well after the match had ended — with grounds crews already rolling out the mowers and television teams delivering their on-field reports — Spain’s supporters were still in full voice. They danced, sang and chanted as if the night were only just beginning.
“Ole! Ole! Ole!” echoed around the stadium after Spain produced a statement performance, beating powerhouse France 2-0 to secure just the second World Cup final appearance in the program’s history.
For the third consecutive summer, Spain has ended France’s run in the semifinal of a major competition. First came a 2-1 win at Euro 2024, followed by last year’s dramatic 5-4 Nations League victory. On Tuesday, goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealed the latest chapter in front of 70,176 fans at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
La Roja’s unbeaten run now stands at 37 matches, and the confidence around this team suggests the streak may not be ending anytime soon.
“It’s a dream come true,” an emotional Porro said afterward through an interpreter. “I couldn’t even dream of this. I’m so happy. I’m so happy because of the team’s attitude from beginning to end. We gave it our all in order to go through to the final.”
(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Even as the reigning champion of Europe, Spain has spent much of this World Cup operating outside the brightest spotlight. Much of the attention has followed Lionel Messi and Argentina’s unlikely escapes, England’s renewed sense of belief, Kylian Mbappé’s Golden Boot chase with Messi and Erling Haaland’s growing appeal among fans around the world.
Spain’s path has not been built on spectacle or last-minute drama. It has been defined by precision, structure and control, with an intense high press that smothered one of the most feared attacks in the game. Mbappé, who came into the semifinal with eight goals, was limited to just three shots and failed to put any of them on target.
Spain has outscored its seven opponents, 13-1, and posted its record sixth shutout of this World Cup against a French side that had recorded 16 goals.
(Photo by Hannah Peters – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
This squad is so dominant, it didn’t even need a heroic performance from teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who is still waiting for his big moment.
Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, made a clever play to force a penalty in the first half that put Spain ahead early before having a goal called offside later on. They have such a wealth of depth that world-class players like Pedri, Nico Williams and Mikel Merino can come off the bench.
“We did it with discipline, being organized, with sacrifice, with commitment, with effort,” said Spanish manager Luis de la Fuente, who was late to his press conference because the team received a congratulatory call from King Felipe VI, the King of Spain. “I think that what we do best as Spanish football players is interpret and read the game. They know how to behave in defensive and offensive phases and in the midfield.
“And that’s the fruits of our labor in the academies — all the coaches in Spain, we really value what we’re doing at that level. And this is another example that, in spite of being happy, we want more. And we want to take this World Cup and claim this title. That would be a really amazing achievement.”
(Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Spain’s control of the game frustrated France to the point that Les Bleus never even had a chance to mount a comeback. There have been plenty of examples this tournament of teams finding late goals and ways back into matches. France famously did it in the World Cup final four years ago and desperately hoped to do it again.
But this time, France failed to capitalize on an empty net in the 81st minute. Mbappé let his aggravation get the best of him when he was shown a yellow card in the 86th after colliding with goalkeeper Unai Simon, and three minutes later, he sent a free kick from just outside the box sailing over the crossbar. And now, the French superstar has to return to his Spanish club Real Madrid.
France, No. 1 in FIFA’s rankings entering the semifinals, was a popular pick to win it all and expected to reach its third straight World Cup final. It will play in the third-place match instead.
“We were below our standards,” French manager Didier Deschamps said via interpreter. “We should have been at our maximum and give it our all, and we did not, unfortunately.”
Spain will await the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Argentina and England. De la Fuente said he doesn’t care who wins. He’s friends with Lionel Scaloni, but thought the Three Lions were a favorite before the tournament began.
“When you’re facing a team like us,” de la Fuente said, “we’re unbeatable. And that’s how we’re feeling right now.”
France vs Spain Extended Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Semifinals
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