The aspirations of the French squad have been abruptly extinguished. Les Bleus faced elimination from the 2026 World Cup at the semi-final stage, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against a formidable Spanish side. What many anticipated as a potential early final ultimately proved to be a one-sided affair, with La Roja demonstrating complete control over a French team that lacked offensive bite.

first half woes: penalty and injury plague les bleus

The opening half unfolded like a nightmare for the French contingent. Amidst a series of intense physical exchanges, the Spanish capitalized on the palpable tension of the match to amplify their pressure. This aggressive approach led to several dangerous fouls, notably Adrien Rabiot’s early challenge on Dani Olmo.

The critical blow landed in the 20th minute when Lucas Digne, caught unaware, brought down Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area. While the contact appeared minimal, it was sufficient for a foul to be called. Mikel Oyarzabal stepped up to the spot, maintaining his perfect penalty record by confidently converting to open the scoring.

Adding to France’s misfortune, a further setback occurred 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 masterclass in the second goal

At halftime, sensing Adrien Rabiot’s growing nervousness and risk of a second yellow card, Didier Deschamps opted for a midfield change, introducing Manu Koné. Despite his impressive performance against Morocco in a previous fixture, the AS Roma player was unable to stem the tide of Spain’s relentless attack.

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

With their backs against the wall, Les Bleus nearly conceded a third goal moments later. Lamine Yamal embarked on a solo run from the right flank, cutting inside before unleashing a shot past Mike Maignan, but the goal was ultimately disallowed in the 61st minute.

deschamps’ fruitless efforts

It cannot be said that Didier Deschamps held back. However, his tactical substitutions proved insufficient to alter the course of the game. The introductions of Désiré Doué before the hour mark, followed by Théo Hernandez and Rayan Cherki, failed to penetrate Spain’s disciplined defensive block. Conversely, Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish coach, also had a wealth of talent on his bench, bringing on Ferran Torres, Pedri, Mikel Merino, and Nico Williams to maintain his team’s dominance.

The French made a late push, attempting to ignite their offense with just ten minutes remaining in regular time, but they were unable to convert any chances or even register a shot on target. This included a poorly executed opportunity when Désiré Doué hesitated to attempt a lob over an out-of-position Unai Simon.

Thus, Spain advances to its first World Cup final since its triumph in 2010. La Roja now awaits the winner of Wednesday evening’s semi-final between Argentina and England.