Spain advanced to the World Cup final after a 2-0 victory over France in a dominant semifinal match, according to NPR. The win extended Spain’s unbeaten streak to 37 games, 28 wins, 9 draws, 0 losses — and marked a stunning end for France, which had entered the tournament as a favorite.

Spain’s Control and French Struggles

Spain scored the first goal in the 21st minute via a penalty kick by Mikel Oyarzabal, according to FotMob and OneFootball; the goal came after a foul on Lamine Yamal by Lucas Digne. Spain doubled their lead in the 58th minute with a goal from Pedro Porro after a well-worked move involving Dani Olmo; this was the first time in the tournament that either team had trailed.

France struggled to contain Spain’s midfield control and stifled their attacking trio of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise. Mbappé had been the tournament’s top scorer with 8 goals and 3 assists, just ahead of Lionel Messi with 8 goals and 2 assists, according to NPR.

Key Moments and Tactical Shifts

The match turned for France when William Saliba exited with a back injury shortly after the penalty, but Meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot, the Milan midfielder, was already on a yellow card and was replaced by Koné, according to OneFootball. Spain continued to press and controlled the game, with Unai Simon making a key stop to clear a Mbappé shot in the 42nd minute.

Jules Kounde. Speaking ahead of the match. Warned that France could not afford to chase Spain for the full 90 minutes, according to FotMob; Kounde emphasized the need for a compact and disciplined defensive approach to counter Spain’s fluid midfield. This proved to be a valid concern as Spain outplayed France in every aspect of the game.

Path to Final and Historical Context

Spain, the reigning European champion and 2010 World Cup winner, will now face the winner of the other semifinal between Argentina and England, according to NPR. Spain has only conceded one goal in the entire tournament and has not lost a match in two years, while France, meanwhile, will play the third-place match against the losing team of the other semifinal on Saturday.

France has now reached eight World Cup semifinals, just one fewer than Germany, the most frequent semifinalist with 12 appearances, according to FotMob, but However, France has not won a World Cup since 1998 and has lost its last two finals in 2018 and 2022. This match was the second-ever World Cup meeting between the two nations, with the first taking place in 2006, when France won 3-1 in a last-16 clash.