Kylian Mbappé spent Tuesday afternoon searching for space that never appeared. Spain closed the central lanes, attacked every loose ball and turned France’s celebrated forward line into a collection of isolated runners. By the final whistle at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty and Pedro Porro’s sharp second half finish had carried Spain to a 2-0 victory and its first World Cup final since 2010.
France arrived with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola. That group had driven one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacks. Against Spain, it produced almost nothing. France managed only two shots on target, while Mbappé failed to test Unai Simón with any of his three attempts.
Spain did not win through possession alone. It won the midfield fights, compressed the pitch and punished the few openings France allowed.
Rodri and Fabián Ruiz Win the Match in the Middle
Luis de la Fuente kept Rodri and Fabián Ruiz at the base of midfield, with Dani Olmo working ahead of them. Their positioning gave Spain a compact center whenever France tried to play through Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot.
The numbers explain where the semifinal turned. Spain finished with only 50.9% possession, its lowest share in a World Cup match since 2002. Still, it attempted 22 tackles to France’s 14 and won 14 of them. Spain also claimed 55.9% of the duels.
Rodri won 11 of his 15 individual contests. Fabián won five of six and recovered possession seven times, the highest total for Spain. Whenever France tried to connect its first pass into attack, one of them arrived early enough to break the move or force the receiver backward.
That pressure also protected the defense. Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte could hold a higher line because Rodri screened the space in front of them. Marc Cucurella stayed close to Olise, while Porro stepped forward whenever Barcola received near the touchline. France’s attackers rarely faced goal with room to accelerate.
Yamal Forces the Breakthrough and Porro Finishes the Job
Lamine Yamal created the opening in the 22nd minute through alertness rather than spectacle. Lucas Digne failed to settle Marc Cucurella’s deep cross, and Yamal stepped across the defender as he tried to clear. Digne caught him with the follow through, giving Spain a penalty.
Oyarzabal struck high past Mike Maignan for his fifth goal of the tournament. France had not trailed at any point in its previous six matches. Its response showed how uncomfortable the situation had become.
Spain refused to sink toward its own penalty area. In the 38th minute, Maignan sent a poor clearance directly to Álex Baena. Several quick passes followed before Fabián forced Dayot Upamecano into a close range block.
Porro delivered the second goal in the 58th minute. He moved inside from right back, exchanged a quick pass with Olmo and guided his finish beyond Maignan. The timing and spacing were precise. France saw the run but could not close it.
“A dream come true. I never even imagined anything like this, not even in my wildest dreams,” Pedro Porro said. The emotion belonged to Porro, but the sequence belonged to the entire team. Spain moved together, gave the player on the ball several choices and attacked the gap as soon as Olmo drew Upamecano forward.
France’s Front Four Loses Every Route Forward
France needed Olise to connect midfield with Mbappé. The pair did not complete a single pass between them during the first half. Olise lost possession 20 times before leaving the match and failed to complete a dribble.
Dembélé did not record a shot until second half stoppage time. Mbappé waited until the 67th minute for his first attempt, then finished the match with three shots and none on target. Spain never allowed him the repeated one on one situations that usually make him decisive.
Cucurella’s pressure on Olise mattered, but the work behind him mattered just as much. Cubarsí and Laporte stayed narrow, Rodri blocked the direct route into Mbappé, and Fabián tracked runners arriving from midfield. When France moved wide, Spain shifted across without leaving the center exposed.
France finished with only 0.3 expected goals, its lowest total in a World Cup match since detailed records began. The figure looked even smaller beside the attacking talent on the field. Didier Deschamps later accepted that France had fallen below Spain technically and had failed to move the ball with enough precision.
Spain’s New Generation Reaches the Final
Spain has now gone 37 matches unbeaten in regular time dating to March 2024. That stretch includes 28 wins and nine draws. It has also recorded six clean sheets in seven World Cup matches and conceded only once during the tournament.
Since opening with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde, Spain has outscored its opponents 12-1. Those results have come through different kinds of performances. Some required patience with the ball. Others demanded late goals. Against France, Spain won through pressure, physical commitment and clear decisions in both penalty areas.
Sunday’s final in East Rutherford will bring either England or defending champion Argentina. The opponent will change the tactical demands. Spain’s identity will not. De la Fuente’s side will press, protect the center and trust its midfield to set the pace.
Spain is one victory from pairing the World Cup with its 2024 European Championship. The final will provide a tougher examination. This performance showed why Spain belongs there.
READ ALSO: Possession Versus Pace: Spain And France Battle For World Cup Final Spot
FAQs
Who scored for Spain against France?
Mikel Oyarzabal scored a penalty in the 22nd minute. Pedro Porro added Spain’s second goal in the 58th minute.
How did Spain stop Kylian Mbappé?
Spain blocked the central lanes, pressed France’s receivers and denied Mbappé space to turn toward goal.
When did Spain last reach a World Cup final?
Spain last reached the final in 2010, when it defeated the Netherlands and won its first World Cup.
How many shots on target did France have?
France managed only two shots on target. Mbappé failed to test goalkeeper Unai Simón with any of his three attempts.
How long is Spain’s unbeaten run?
Spain reached 37 matches unbeaten in regular time, with the run dating back to March 2024.
