La Roja secure a spot in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium with a flawless defensive showcase and historic goals against Les Bleus.
ARLINGTON, Texas – July 14, 2026: Clinical goals from forward Mikel Oyarzabal and defender Pedro Porro propelled an exceptional Spain to a 2-0 victory over tournament favorites France at the Dallas Stadium on Tuesday, booking their place in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The semi-final victory marks Spain’s first return to the FIFA World Cup showpiece match since 2010, when Andres Iniesta scored the legendary extra-time winner against the Netherlands in South Africa. Head coach Luis de la Fuente’s tactical setup completely neutralized the French attack, yielding La Roja their sixth clean sheet in seven matches in this edition of the tournament.
France entered the match carrying the historical weight of favorites, with forward Kylian Mbappe threatening early with explosive transitions down the wing. However, Spain quickly wrested control of the midfield pace. The game’s definitive breakthrough materialized in the 22nd minute through winger Lamine Yamal. A day after celebrating his 19th birthday, Yamal breached the penalty box ahead of French defender Lucas Digne and was clipped from behind, drawing a decisive whistle from the referee.
Mikel Oyarzabal stepped up to convert the resulting spot-kick, calmly driving the ball past France’s penalty-saving specialist goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The goal marked an individual milestone for Oyarzabal, making him only the sixth male footballer in history to score 30 international goals for the Spanish national team.
Spain doubled their advantage in the 58th minute following a beautiful sequence of high-tempo passing. Pedro Porro executed a seamless one-two combination with midfielder Dani Olmo at the edge of the final third, receiving the return pass cleanly before lacing a low shot into the bottom corner of Maignan’s net.
France attempted to mount a comeback later in the second half, with manager Didier Deschamps introducing fresh attacking elements in Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki. Despite the tactical shift, Spain’s defensive line remained unyielding. Goalkeeper Unai Simon acted effectively as a sweeper-keeper to nullify deep aerial balls, while full-back Marc Cucurella executed a crucial, perfectly timed tackle inside the box to dispossess Mbappe.
The tactical display ensured Spain kept their record intact, having conceded just two goals throughout the entire North American tournament. They tie the historical low defensive tallies achieved by champion squads including France in 1998, Italy in 2006, and Spain in 2010.
Spain will now fly to the New York New Jersey Stadium for the grand final on Sunday, July 19, where they will square off against the winner of the second semi-final match between England and Argentina. France will stay behind to compete in the bronze final match on Saturday, giving Mbappe a final opportunity to secure the adidas Golden Boot.
