Spain reaches World Cup final with dominant 2-0 win over France

In a match Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, featuring two of soccer’s biggest heavyweights, Spain put in a masterful performance, frustrating France to the tune of a 2-0 win to advance to Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

It marks Spain’s second-ever appearance in a World Cup final. Spain won the tournament in 2010.

The Spaniards will face the winner of the second semifinal between defending champion Argentina and England, taking place Wednesday.

Spain’s first goal came in the 22nd minute when Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot after Spain teenager Lamine Yamal drew a foul with a heady play.

France defender Lucas Digne was trying to collect the ball after an awkward bounce when Yamal, a day after his 19th birthday, raced in from behind to challenge in the penalty area. Yamal was kicked as Digne tried to clear the ball.

Oyarzabal’s fifth goal of this year’s World Cup marked the first time either of the two teams had trailed in their seven games in this tournament. It was his 30th goal in 60 international games for Spain.

A day after his 19th birthday, Yamal was denied a goal on a close offside call that came soon after Spain defender Pedro Porro’s give-and-go with Dani Olmo in the 58th minute had put Spain up 2-0. But it was Yamal’s smart play against a veteran defender that put Spain in the lead.

“We gave it our all in order just to go through to the final,” Porro said. “We knew that we’re a very tough team, we’re doing things really well. This is our team, it’s not about me.”

After a quarterfinal win over Belgium last Friday, Yamal said he believed France should fear Spain. Those words certainly proved true.

The loss means France failed in its effort to reach its third consecutive final, after winning in 2018 and losing in a penalty shootout to Argentina four years ago. They instead will play in the third-place game in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Saturday, the day before the final at MetLife Stadium across the river from New York City.

This win on soccer’s biggest stage marked the third summer in a row that Spain beat France in a tournament semifinal match. Yamal scored in a 2-1 win in the 2024 European Championship semifinals just days before his 17th birthday, and La Roja won 5-4 in Nations League play last year.

France had allowed only two goals in its first six games in this tournament. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón has six shutouts while allowing only one goal in seven games so far.

Kylian Mbappé was in France’s starting lineup after the striker exited in the 77th minute of the team’s quarterfinal win over Morocco. Mbappé scored his eighth goal against Morocco and entered the semifinals even with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. The 39-year-old Messi has a World Cup record 21 goals in his career, one more than the 27-year-old Mbappé.

Spain’s run at this year’s World Cup has extended its unbeaten streak in regular time to 37 matches (28 wins and nine draws) since March 2024. That broke the country’s previous record of 35 in a row from 2007-09.

The loss broke France’s record-matching streak of six consecutive World Cup wins, which also was accomplished in the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.