Spain beats France 2-0 to reach 2026 World Cup final

Spain defeated France 2-0 in the World Cup semi-final on Tuesday, advancing to the final for the first time since 2010.

• Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from a penalty in the 22nd minute, and Pedro Porro doubled the lead in the 58th minute.
• Spain will face the winner of the other semi-final between defending champion Argentina and England on Sunday.
• Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said his players are the best in the world and that the team will give everything in the final.
• France coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged that Spain was the superior side and that the defeat was France's own fault.

Latest developments

• France recorded their lowest World Cup shot total with an expected goals of 0.3, as Didier Deschamps set a record for most games managed (26) in his final tournament.
• Kylian Mbappé expressed huge disappointment, acknowledging that France made too many technical errors and failed to execute their tactical plan.
• Pedro Porro scored Spain's second goal by bursting into the box to finish a layoff from Dani Olmo, sealing victory.
• French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Spain on reaching the World Cup final, calling the loss painful but praising France's young squad.
• France coach Didier Deschamps questioned the competence of referee Ivan Barton, hinting he may lack the level for a high-stakes semifinal.
• Jul 15 — Ousmane Dembélé, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, exited the World Cup with France after their semi-final loss to Spain, extending a 68-year trend of Ballon d'Or winners failing to win the World Cup immediately after their award.