Spain produced a tactical masterclass to defeat France 2-0 and advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, underlining why they remain one of the most complete teams in international football.
Heading into the semifinal, France were widely considered favorites after an impressive tournament run led by attacking stars Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise. Instead, they were outplayed by a Spanish side that controlled possession, dictated the tempo, and neutralized France's biggest threats from start to finish.
The victory extended Spain's unbeaten run to 37 matches and earned them a place in only their second World Cup final. They will now face either Argentina or England on Sunday.
Spain's World Cup campaign has been anything but straightforward. They opened the tournament with a goalless draw against Cape Verde before relying on late winners against Portugal and Belgium in the knockout rounds. However, they have found their best form at the perfect time, keeping six clean sheets in seven matches.
Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro sealed the win over France, but the scoreline only told part of the story. Spain dominated midfield and limited France to just three shots on target despite boasting one of the most talented attacking lineups in the competition.
Former Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane praised Spain's collective approach while criticizing France's lack of cohesion.
"France were not playing as a team. Brilliant individuals not playing as a team," he said. "Spain have been absolutely brilliant. An absolute joy to watch."
Former France defender Gael Clichy agreed that Spain controlled every phase of the game.
"It's not an amazing Spanish side. We've seen better. But the best team won. All the phases were controlled by Spain. We are used to what Spain are doing, but they're doing it so well."
Spain's success has been largely credited to manager Luis de la Fuente, whose appointment in 2022 was initially met with skepticism. Since taking charge, he has guided Spain to UEFA Nations League and European Championship titles before leading them to the World Cup final.
After the match, De la Fuente said his players deserved their place in the final because of their commitment and collective mentality.
"We've recaptured the spirit of 2010," he said. "The character of this team is evident in the fact that those who didn't play have stayed behind to train after the match."
The 65-year-old has built much of the current squad over the past decade through Spain's youth national teams, developing strong relationships with several key players long before they became senior internationals.
Football analyst Guillem Balague credited Spain's success to years of continuity and a shared philosophy.
"They won the under-19 and under-21 Euros, got to know each other, formed a family, and that feeling of being better together than individually is in their DNA."
Tactically, Spain once again demonstrated why they remain one of the world's most difficult teams to play against. Their midfield trio of Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, and Dani Olmo consistently overwhelmed France, while intelligent movement and positional play exposed weaknesses in France's defensive structure.
Dani Olmo, operating in a free attacking midfield role, repeatedly created overloads in midfield and played a key part in Spain's second goal. Pedro Porro's attacking runs from full-back also highlighted Spain's ability to stretch defenses and create space across the field.
Spain's performance has prompted some pundits to label them the best team remaining in the tournament. With their combination of tactical discipline, technical quality, and collective understanding, they head into the World Cup final as strong contenders to lift the trophy.
After dismantling one of the tournament's most talented squads, Spain have made one thing clear: in modern football, a well-drilled team can still outshine a collection of world-class individuals.
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