The journey has come to an abrupt end for the French team. Les Bleus were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the semi-finals, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against Spain. In what many considered a premature final, the contest ultimately lacked real suspense, as La Roja asserted complete dominance over an uninspired French side.

Early misfortunes: penalty and injury plague France in the first half

The opening half unfolded like a nightmare for Les Bleus. Amidst a series of intense physical challenges, the Spanish players capitalized on the match’s palpable tension to amplify their pressure. This strategy resulted in several dangerous fouls, notably Adrien Rabiot’s early challenge on Dani Olmo.

The decisive blow arrived in the 20th minute when Lucas Digne, unaware of Lamine Yamal’s presence behind him, brought down the Spanish forward inside the penalty area. While the contact appeared light, it was sufficient to warrant a penalty. Mikel Oyarzabal, maintaining his flawless record from the spot, confidently converted to open the scoring.

Further bad news struck around the half-hour mark as William Saliba was forced to leave the field due to injury, replaced by Maxence Lacroix.

Spain’s masterclass in the second goal

At halftime, sensing Adrien Rabiot’s growing nervousness and risk of a second yellow card, Didier Deschamps made a midfield substitution, bringing on Manu Koné. Despite his impressive performance against Morocco in a previous match, the AS Roma player was unable to halt the relentless Spanish offensive.

In the 58th minute, La Roja delivered a masterclass in attacking football to secure their second goal. Pedro Porro finished a superb one-two with Dani Olmo, who, despite being fouled at the edge of the box, managed to lay off the ball for Porro. This goal epitomized the outstanding form of both players throughout the tournament.

With their backs against the wall, Les Bleus nearly conceded a third goal moments later. However, Lamine Yamal’s brilliant solo effort, where he cut in from the right flank to beat Mike Maignan, was ultimately disallowed in the 61st minute.

Deschamps’ tactical efforts prove insufficient

It cannot be said that Didier Deschamps didn’t try to alter the course of the game. However, his substitutions, including the introductions of Désiré Doué before the hour mark, followed by Théo Hernandez and Rayan Cherki, failed to meaningfully disrupt the Spanish defensive block. Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, also possessed formidable talent on his bench and did not hesitate to deploy Ferran Torres, Pedri, Mikel Merino, and Nico Williams.

The French team made desperate attempts to ignite their attack in the final ten minutes of regular time but struggled to create clear-cut chances or even test the goalkeeper. A notable opportunity arose when Unai Simon ventured outside his box, but Désiré Doué hesitated, failing to attempt a lob.

Consequently, Spain will now compete in their first World Cup final since their triumph in 2010. La Roja awaits the winner of Wednesday evening’s semi-final clash between Argentina and England.