Mbappe’s France knocked out by Yamal’s Spain to reach the World Cup 2026 final

Spain produced a disciplined and commanding display to defeat France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup semifinal on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, securing their place in the final and extending their recent dominance over Les Bleus.

The victory marked Spain’s third consecutive win over France, following triumphs in the UEFA Euro 2024 semifinal and the UEFA Nations League semifinal in 2025. It also ended France’s bid to become only the third nation in history to reach three straight World Cup finals.

Luis de la Fuente’s side took control in the first half when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty after Lamine Yamal was brought down inside the box. France’s problems worsened midway through the half as defender William Saliba was forced off with a back injury, making way for Maxence Lacroix.

Spain maintained control through their patient possession, relentless pressing, and defensive organization, preventing France’s attacking trio of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise from making a meaningful impact before halftime.

Knowing only two teams in World Cup history had overturned a halftime deficit in a semifinal, France introduced Manu Koné and Désiré Doué after the break in an attempt to change the momentum. However, Spain remained firmly in command, with goalkeeper Unai Simón producing crucial saves whenever France threatened.

Any hopes of a French comeback were effectively ended when Pedro Porro capped off a flowing Spanish move with a composed finish early in the second half to double La Roja’s advantage.

Spain comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to book their place in the World Cup final on July 19 in East Rutherford, where they will face either England or Argentina.

The victory also extended Spain’s unbeaten run to 37 matches, equaling Italy’s record for the longest unbeaten streak by a national team.

France, meanwhile, will now compete in the third-place playoff in Miami Gardens on Saturday against the loser of Wednesday’s semifinal between England and Argentina.