Spain Defeats France 2-0 with Outstanding Attack and Defense, Reaches World Cup Final for the First Time in 16 Years

Highlights from the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Central News Agency Report (Arlington, USA, July 14 — Compiled from international wire services)

Spain delivered a complete performance on both offense and defense, defeating France 2-0 today. The victory ended France's dream of securing a third World Cup title in team history and propelled Spain into the World Cup final for the first time in 16 years. They will now face the winner of the England vs. Argentina semifinal for the championship.

France, led by head coach Didier Deschamps, entered the match as the tournament's top favorite thanks to their explosive offensive displays throughout the competition. However, in the semifinal, they encountered a Spain side that demonstrated seamless coordination and tactical maturity — the reigning European champions — and ultimately fell short.

Spain, the 2010 World Cup champions, took the lead in the first half when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty kick. Pedro Porro added a second goal in the second half. In contrast, France, despite boasting numerous world-class attacking stars, failed to shift the momentum.

The semifinal, held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, began to shift midway through the first half. Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton ruled that French defender Lucas Digne had recklessly fouled Spanish winger Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area and immediately awarded a penalty kick.

Oyarzabal calmly blasted the ball into the net, scoring his fifth goal of the tournament.

In the 57th minute, Deschamps substituted Desire Doue for Bradley Barcola in an attempt to strengthen France's attack.

Just one minute later, Spain capitalized on a brilliant team move, with Dani Olmo setting up Pedro Porro, who finished the play to extend the lead to 2-0.

When the final whistle blew, Spanish players raised their hands to the sky, celebrating their advancement to the World Cup final.

Spain has conceded only one goal throughout the tournament, becoming the first team in World Cup history to record six consecutive clean sheets in a single edition. They have now gone 37 consecutive matches unbeaten across all competitions, matching the longest unbeaten streak in European national team history.

Luis de la Fuente, Spain's head coach, said after the match: "We started building this philosophy about four years ago and have stuck with it ever since. It has brought us to this point… These players deserve everything. Every day, they show commitment, unity, selflessness, and talent, making difficult things look so simple."

France had reached the final in the previous two World Cups, winning in 2018 and finishing as runners-up in 2022.

France's star-studded attack, led by Kylian Mbappe of La Liga's Real Madrid, also included Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and technically gifted Michael Olise. However, the entire frontline failed to deliver their expected impact.

Deschamps, who will step down as France's head coach after 14 years in charge at the conclusion of this tournament, will now lead the team in the third-place playoff.

The 57-year-old Deschamps, who has won the World Cup both as a player and a coach, said: "The players are very disappointed. First and foremost, this is our own responsibility. I don't want to blame anyone."

Nonetheless, he questioned the referee's performance: "I just want to raise one pointed question, but I won't answer it: Does this referee truly have the level to officiate a World Cup semifinal?"

He added: "I'm not saying this just because we lost today. There were several decisions during the match that deserve discussion. Of course, there were also some decisions in our favor."

The other semifinal will take place tomorrow in Atlanta, where England will face Argentina. The winner will challenge Spain for the 2026 World Cup title. (Compiled by Hsu Jui-cheng) 1150715

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