Spain Outclass France to Return to World Cup Final After 16 Years

Spain produced a composed and clinical display to defeat France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, ending a 16-year wait for a place in the tournament's showpiece event. Inspired by the brilliance of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro , La Roja advanced to only their second World Cup final , where they will face the winner of the Argentina-England semifinal.

The victory further cemented Spain's status as one of world football's dominant forces, extending their unbeaten run in regulation time to a national-record 37 matches since March 2024. Having already won UEFA Euro 2024 , Spain are now just one victory away from reclaiming the World Cup title they last lifted in South Africa in 2010 .

Spain took control in the 22nd minute after Yamal's relentless pressing forced defender Lucas Digne into a costly mistake inside the penalty area. The French full-back clipped the 19-year-old winger, leaving the referee with little hesitation in awarding a penalty. Oyarzabal calmly converted from the spot, scoring his fifth goal of the tournament and the 30th of his international career .

The Spaniards doubled their advantage in the 58th minute through Pedro Porro , who exchanged a slick one-two with Dani Olmo before firing past goalkeeper Mike Maignan . Moments later, Yamal thought he had added a third, only for VAR to rule his effort narrowly offside.

France, captained by Kylian Mbappé , entered the semifinal as the world's top-ranked team and were chasing a place in a third consecutive World Cup final after reaching the 2018 and 2022 title matches. However, Didier Deschamps' side struggled to break down Spain's disciplined defence and creative midfield throughout the contest.

Goalkeeper Unai Simón continued his outstanding tournament by keeping his sixth clean sheet in seven matches, having conceded just one goal so far. Spain also created several other chances, with Alex Baena's free-kick blocked by the French wall before Fabián Ruiz was denied from close range following Maignan's misplaced clearance.

The result marked Spain's third straight major tournament semifinal victory over France , following wins at Euro 2024 and the UEFA Nations League . It also ended France's six-match World Cup winning streak , while highlighting Spain's remarkable consistency under Luis de la Fuente , whose young, fearless squad has combined tactical discipline with attacking flair throughout the tournament.

Spain will now head to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with history within touching distance, aiming to capture their second FIFA World Cup crown and complete another golden chapter in the nation's footballing legacy.