Spain secured a place in the World Cup final for only the second time in its history, defeating France 2-0 in Arlington, Texas. Spain last reached the final when it won the tournament in 2010, 16 years earlier. France entered the semifinal as a favorite after conceding just two goals in its first six matches. Spain’s disciplined performance delivered a clean-sheet knockout win.
Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute, adding to the four goals he had already scored in the tournament. Marc Cucurella was booked in the 31st minute, then helped contain France’s attack. Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé led the forward line, while Michael Olise also posed a threat. Pedro Porro scored Spain’s second goal in the 58th minute, with Dani Olmo credited with the assist. The goals came from different attacking contributors, underlining the range of Spain’s threat.
Former professionals including Henry and Ibrahimovic praised Spain’s collective strength and flexibility. McManaman and Owen joined Troy Deeney and Gary Neville in praising the squad. Their comments echoed a defining feature of the team’s campaign: players shared responsibility across the pitch instead of depending on one scorer. Rodri’s return to form after injury was also seen as a impressive boost to Spain’s midfield and leadership. He went on to win the World Cup Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
The semifinal followed Spain’s 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Belgium, sealed by Mikel Merino’s 88th-minute goal. Spain had also won the 2024 European Championship, arriving at the tournament as one of international football’s leading teams. As Spain prepared for the final, attention turned to whether England or Argentina could match its intensity and organization. Recent tensions between Spain and France also formed part of the backdrop to the match. A recent article by Mariano Rajoy led to a diplomatic dispute between the two countries, as detailed in this report on the Spain-France World Cup rivalry.
Argentina defeated England in the other semifinal, setting up the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Spain went on to win the championship, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time to secure its second World Cup title. The France semifinal was the decisive penultimate step in a title-winning campaign, reinforcing the legacy of a generation built around collective play and tactical flexibility.
