by Ayomide Balogun
In a clash between two of the tournament’s most impressive sides, it was Luis de la Fuente’s men who dictated the tempo from start to finish. Their intelligent movement, relentless pressing and technical superiority left France chasing shadows for long spells, as Spain delivered one of their finest performances of the competition.
The opening exchanges were evenly contested before Spain seized control in the 22nd minute. Lamine Yamal was brought down by Lucas Digne after latching onto a loose control, the referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot, and Mikel Oyarzabal well struck penalty gave Spain a deserved lead.
The goal transformed the match.
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France’s best opportunity before the interval came through Mbappé, but the captain was denied by the alert Unai Simón, whose positioning and handling remained impeccable throughout the evening. Spain entered the break fully deserving of their advantage after limiting one of the tournament’s most potent attacks to very few clear-cut chances.
If France hoped for an improved second half display, Spain quickly extinguished those ambitions.
Just before the hour mark, La Roja produced a flowing move that perfectly encapsulated their football. Dani Olmo exchanged passes with Pedro Porro before returning the ball into the defender’s path, allowing Porro to fire an unstoppable effort beyond Maignan and double Spain’s lead. It was a goal built on precision passing, intelligent movement and clinical execution.
At 2-0, Didier Deschamps introduced fresh attacking options in an effort to revive his side. However, Spain remained in complete control. Rodri shielded the defence superbly, Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro dealt comfortably with France’s wide threats, while centre-backs Laporte and Pau Cubarsí gave Mbappé and his teammates little room to operate.
Lamine Yamal continued to torment the French defence with his pace and creativity and even thought he had added a third goal before the effort was ruled out for offside. Nevertheless, the teenager’s influence on the contest was undeniable, constantly forcing France onto the back foot.
France never truly looked capable of mounting a comeback. Michael Olise endured a frustrating evening, while the midfield struggled to cope with Spain’s relentless pressing and technical quality. The final whistle confirmed a deserved victory for Spain, whose dominance was reflected not only in the scoreline but also in the overall flow of the match.
Rodri once again demonstrated why he is considered one of the world’s finest midfielders, controlling possession with remarkable composure and dictating the rhythm of the contest. Oyarzabal delivered when it mattered from the penalty spot, while Pedro Porro’s superb finish effectively ended France’s hopes. Yamal, despite not finding the scoresheet, was arguably Spain’s most dangerous player throughout the match.
For France, it was a disappointing evening. After an impressive run through the tournament, they were second best against a Spanish side that combined tactical intelligence with technical excellence. Mbappé and his teammates simply could not find the attacking fluency that had characterised much of their campaign. Didier Deschamps later admitted Spain had been the superior side and acknowledged that France were unable to match their opponents’ quality on the night.
Spain now marc into the World Cup final with momentum firmly behind them. Having eliminated Belgium and France in successive knockout rounds, they have underlined their credentials as deserving finalists. With their midfield controlling matches, their defence remaining resolute and young stars like Lamine Yamal continuing to shine, La Roja now stand just one victory away from lifting the FIFA World Cup once again.
