Spain are in the World Cup final. A clinical 2-0 victory over France at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Monday ended Kylian Mbappe’s tournament and confirmed La Roja as the first finalist of the 2026 World Cup. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro did the damage, and a defense that has been the tournament’s best kept France to just 0.3 expected goals from 10 shots. Here is how spain beat france in a semifinal that was far more controlled than anyone expected.
First Half: Yamal Draws the Foul, Oyarzabal Converts
The first 45 minutes were tight and tactical, with Spain controlling territory without creating clear chances and France looking to hit on the counter through Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. The pattern broke in the 22nd minute when Lamine Yamal, electric all tournament, drove into the French penalty area and was brought down by a clumsy challenge from Lucas Digne. The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation, and VAR confirmed the decision in seconds.
Oyarzabal, Spain’s designated penalty taker throughout the tournament, stepped up and beat Mike Maignan with a well-placed finish to the goalkeeper’s left. It was Oyarzabal’s fourth goal of the World Cup, and it gave Spain exactly what they wanted: a lead to protect with a defense that has barely been breached.
Second Half: Porro Seals It
France needed to open up after the break, and that played directly into Spain’s hands. Dani Olmo began dictating play from midfield, and the second goal arrived in the 58th minute through a beautifully crafted move. Porro played a quick give-and-go with Olmo on the right side, received the return ball in stride, and side-footed a precise finish past Maignan at the near post. It was the kind of goal that rewarded Spain’s patient buildup and punished France’s increasingly desperate shape.
Yamal nearly added a third moments later, curling in from close range, but the offside flag cut short the celebration. France managed three shots on target across 90 minutes, a damning statistic for a team featuring Mbappe, Dembele, and Michael Olise in the same attack.
How Spain Neutralized Mbappe
The story of the match was Spain’s defensive discipline. Mbappe, the tournament’s joint-leading scorer with eight goals heading into the semifinal, was held without a shot on target. Spain’s defensive structure doubled him consistently, with full-back Marc Cucurella supported by a midfielder dropping into cover whenever France tried to isolate Mbappe in one-on-one situations. The tactic was the same one that worked against Belgium in the quarterfinal, and France never found a way to break it.
Mbappe finishes the tournament with eight goals and three assists, enough to potentially win the Golden Boot if neither Messi nor Bellingham overtakes him in the remaining matches, a race we track in our Golden Boot standings update. But the semifinal exit will sting for a player who has now lost in the final in 2022 and the semifinals in 2026 in consecutive World Cups.
What This Means for Spain
Spain become the first team confirmed for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium, our full preview of which is in our MetLife Stadium fan guide. This is Spain’s first World Cup final since their 2010 triumph in South Africa, and the European champions are now one win from becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to hold both the continental and world titles simultaneously.
The defense has been extraordinary: Spain have conceded just three goals in seven matches, and their expected goals against across the knockout rounds is under two total. Manager Luis de la Fuente has built a team that can suffocate elite attacks and then hurt opponents through Yamal’s dribbling, Olmo’s creativity, and Oyarzabal’s clinical finishing.
France’s Tournament Is Over
Didier Deschamps’ side exits with its head high despite the semifinal loss. France won their group, dispatched Paraguay, Sweden, and Morocco in the knockouts, and Mbappe added to his all-time World Cup scoring record with 20 career goals. But the semifinal exposed a familiar vulnerability: when the opposition defended their wide attackers with discipline, France lacked a Plan B through the center. Deschamps will face questions about his future and whether this generation, featuring Mbappe at 27, Dembele, and Olise, will get another shot in 2030.
France drop into the third-place match against the loser of England vs Argentina on Saturday, July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, 5:00 PM ET. Full results and the updated bracket are tracked at FIFA.com.
Match Facts
| Stat | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 0 | 2 |
| Goals | — | Oyarzabal 22′ (pen), Porro 58′ |
| Shots (on target) | 10 (3) | 14 (6) |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.3 | 1.8 |
| Possession | 42% | 58% |
Looking Ahead
Spain now have four full days to rest and prepare before the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium. Their opponent will be determined today when England face Argentina in Atlanta at 3:00 PM ET, a preview we cover in full in our England vs Argentina semifinal preview. Whether it is Bellingham or Messi walking out at MetLife, Spain will be ready, and the tournament’s best defense will be waiting.
