Spain Reaches 2026 World Cup Final with 2-0 Victory Over France

Spain secured a 2-0 win against France to reach the 2026 World Cup final following goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.

Spain secured a 2-0 victory over France to advance to the 2026 World Cup final, ending Les Bleus' streak of reaching the final in the last two editions. The scoring opened in the 22nd minute when Mikel Oyarzabal clinically converted a penalty. This spot-kick was awarded after Lamine Yamal nipped in to steal possession from Lucas Digne. Spain doubled their advantage in the 58th minute as Pedro Porro finished a move involving a one-two pass with Dani Olmo. This result ensures Luis de la Fuente’s side will compete for their second-ever World Cup title against either England or Argentina.

First Half Dominance and Penalty Breakthrough

La Roja capitalized on a torrid first-half performance by France to establish early control. Marc Cucurella delivered the cross that initiated the penalty incident, though he later received a yellow card in the 31st minute. While Yamal provided a constant threat, he saw one goal ruled out for offside and later chose to cut the ball back rather than shoot during a promising opportunity. Defensively, Pau Cubarsí set an early tone by blocking a Bradley Barcola cross and successfully recovering to halt Kylian Mbappé.

France’s defensive stability suffered a significant blow at the half-hour mark when William Saliba was forced off due to injury just after a hydration break. Maxence Lacroix entered the match as his replacement in the 30th minute. Didier Deschamps, managing a record 26th World Cup match, saw his side struggle as Adrien Rabiot earned a yellow card for a foul on Olmo. Rabiot also missed the target with a shot before being substituted at halftime for Manu Koné to avoid a second booking.

Second Half Security and Porro’s Strike

Spain maintained their grip on the match after the interval. The 58th-minute goal by Porro resulted from a precise exchange with Olmo, who provided multiple first-time passes throughout the contest. Dayot Upamecano, who had earlier denied Fabián Ruiz with a block, failed to prevent Olmo from finding Porro for the second score. In the 57th minute, France replaced Barcola with Désiré Doué, who subsequently had a shot blocked and failed to capitalize on an unconvincing header from Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón.

Simón finished the match with a rating of 7, having rushed out to beat Mbappé to a Rabiot through ball despite some uncomfortable moments. Aymeric Laporte anchored the defense with a 9 rating, notably intercepting a Michael Olise through ball intended for Mbappé. On the opposite side, Ousmane Dembélé was described as sloppy despite delivering one dangerous ball for Mbappé and seeing a shot denied after cutting inside.

Tactical Substitutions and Late Frustration

Luis de la Fuente utilized his bench late in the game, bringing on Ferran Torres for Oyarzabal in the 74th minute. Torres nearly added a third but guided a header wide. Mikel Merino and Pedri entered in the 78th minute for Olmo and Ruiz, respectively, with Pedri immediately helping Spain retain midfield possession. Marcos Llorente and Nico Williams were introduced in the 84th minute. Williams drove into the box shortly after entering but hit the side netting from a tight angle.

France attempted late changes in the 72nd minute, introducing Theo Hernández for Digne and Rayan Cherki for Olise. Cherki provided a pass to Mbappé that resulted in no goal. Mbappé’s frustration was evident when he received a yellow card for a challenge on Simón and sent a free kick over the crossbar. Aurélien Tchouaméni also missed a chance, guiding a flick over the bar. For Spain, Rodri earned a 9 rating for his superb control of the midfield, while Alex Baena won his individual battle against Jules Koundé before being replaced.