The journey has come to an abrupt end for the French team. Les Bleus were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup semi-finals after a 2-0 defeat by Spain. What was billed as a potential final-before-the-final ultimately saw a clear victor, as La Roja expertly controlled the game against an uninspired French squad.

Early setbacks and a penalty for France

The opening half quickly turned into a nightmare for Les Bleus. Amidst a series of intense physical challenges, the Spanish capitalized on the match’s palpable tension to exert significant pressure. This led to dangerous fouls, notably Adrien Rabiot’s early challenge on Dani Olmo.

The decisive blow arrived in the 20th minute when Lucas Digne, caught unaware, brought down Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area. Though the contact appeared minimal, it was enough for a foul, and Mikel Oyarzabal maintained his perfect penalty record, converting to open the scoring.

Further misfortune struck around the half-hour mark as William Saliba was forced to leave the field, with Maxence Lacroix stepping in as his replacement.

Spain’s masterclass for the second goal

At halftime, sensing Adrien Rabiot’s growing nervousness and risk of a second yellow card, Didier Deschamps made a midfield change, bringing on Manu Koné. Despite his impressive performance against Morocco in a previous match, the AS Roma player could not stem the tide of the Spanish attack.

In the 58th minute, La Roja delivered a masterclass in offensive play to secure their second goal. Pedro Porro finished a superb one-two with Dani Olmo, who managed to return the ball despite being fouled at the edge of the box, extending Spain’s lead. This sequence perfectly encapsulated the exceptional form of both players throughout the tournament.

France seemed overwhelmed, and the scoreline nearly worsened moments later. However, Lamine Yamal’s solo effort, cutting in from the right wing before striking past Mike Maignan, was ultimately disallowed in the 61st minute.

Deschamps’ tactical struggles

It cannot be said that France’s coach, Didier Deschamps, didn’t try to alter the game’s trajectory. Yet, his substitutions proved insufficient to turn the tide. The introductions of Désiré Doué before the hour mark, followed by Théo Hernandez and Rayan Cherki, failed to truly threaten the well-organized Spanish defense. Conversely, Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, also had strong options on his bench, deploying Ferran Torres, Pedri, Mikel Merino, and Nico Williams.

In the final ten minutes of regular time, the French attempted to ignite an offensive push but struggled to convert opportunities or even register shots on target. Even a misjudged rush out of his box by Unai Simon was not capitalized on by Désiré Doué, who hesitated to attempt a lob.

Thus, Spain advances to their first World Cup final since their triumph in 2010. La Roja will now await the winner of Wednesday night’s semi-final clash between Argentina and England.