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Spain produced a dominant display to beat tournament favourites France 2-0 and book their place in the FIFA World Cup final.
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Rodri delivered a masterclass in midfield as La Roja neutralised Kylian Mbappé and France’s star-studded attack.
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Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro found the net as Spain’s tactical discipline overwhelmed Didier Deschamps’ side.
July 15, (THEWILL) — France entered the semifinal as favourites after winning all six of their previous matches, but Spain tore up the script. Luis de la Fuente’s side dominated possession, controlled midfield and silenced one of the tournament’s most feared attacks to book a date in the World Cup final.
1. Rodri Produced a Ballon d’Or-Worthy Masterclass
If there was one player who defined the semifinal, it was Rodri. The Spain captain controlled every aspect of the game, dictating possession, breaking up French attacks and ensuring Kylian Mbappé and company rarely found any rhythm. His positioning, passing and defensive awareness allowed Spain to dominate from the opening whistle.
It was the kind of performance expected from a Ballon d’Or winner and arguably his finest display of the tournament.
2. Spain’s Midfield Completely Overran France
The battle everyone expected to be evenly matched turned into a one-sided affair. Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Dani Olmo controlled possession with remarkable composure, constantly moving France out of position and preventing Didier Deschamps’ midfield from gaining any foothold.
Adrien Rabiot struggled throughout before being substituted at halftime, while Aurélien Tchouaméni found himself chasing shadows for much of the evening.
By winning the midfield battle so convincingly, Spain effectively decided the match long before the final whistle.
3. France’s Deadly Attack Was Kept Quiet
France had entered the semifinal with 16 goals in six matches and looked like the tournament’s most dangerous attacking side.
Spain made them look ordinary. Mbappé was repeatedly caught offside and rarely received the ball in dangerous areas. Ousmane Dembélé failed to influence proceedings, Michael Olise struggled to create opportunities, and Bradley Barcola was substituted after making little impact.
It was the first time in the tournament that France’s star-studded frontline looked completely out of ideas.
4. Spain Took Their Chances at the Perfect Moments
Dominating possession is one thing; making it count is another. Spain did both.
Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted a first-half penalty to give La Roja the lead before Pedro Porro capped a brilliant attacking move with an excellent finish after the break.
Rather than sitting back, Spain continued pressing high and controlling possession, never allowing France an opportunity to build sustained momentum.
Their clinical finishing perfectly complemented an outstanding tactical performance.
5. Luis de la Fuente Outthought Didier Deschamps
This semifinal was as much a victory for Spain’s coach as it was for his players. Luis de la Fuente resisted calls to make major changes, keeping faith with the side that defeated Belgium in the quarterfinals. His decision to trust Fabián Ruiz alongside Rodri paid off handsomely, as Spain completely controlled the centre of the pitch.
Meanwhile, Deschamps struggled to find answers.
France’s midfield setup never looked comfortable, tactical adjustments came too late, and Spain dictated virtually every phase of the contest.
By the end of the night, De la Fuente had masterminded one of Spain’s most complete World Cup performances in recent memory.
Spain arrived in Dallas as underdogs but left looking every inch a World Cup champion in waiting.
From Rodri’s commanding midfield display to Pedro Porro’s relentless energy and Oyarzabal’s clinical finishing, La Roja outplayed France in every department to secure a deserved 2-0 victory.
With either England or Argentina awaiting in the final, Spain now stand just one win away from lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy, while France must regroup for the third-place playoff after their impressive unbeaten run came to an abrupt end.
